wiredInUSA - April 2013
42
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the
largest aluminum smelters in the world, has
become a member of Aluminum Extruders
Council, an international association for
extrusion companies and suppliers in the
US.
Alba's membership into this community of
over 100 major North American extrusion
companies will enable it to join in with the
exchange of technical and commercial
information, as well as contribute
knowledge and expertise in the production
of high quality value added aluminum, a
company statement said.
Alba is a major producer of aluminum
ingots and slabs, and supplies liquid metal
to companies including Midal Cables,
Bahrain Bahrain Alloys Manufacturing
Company (BAMCO), and Bahrain Welding
Wire Products Mfg Co (BWP) for production
of primary aluminum alloys and master
alloys. Primary aluminium-based EC
rod, alloy rod, and wire and alloy ingot
are produced from liquid metal. Other
applications include aluminum wires for
electrical and mechanical use, curved
line conductors, aluminum clad steel
(ACS) wires for transmission lines, and solid
conductors.
Alba joins Aluminum
Extruders Council
Haaretz is reporting that the Israel Electric
Corporation has cut investment in
transmission by 50 percent in recent years,
even though its own power generation
capacity has increased by 15 percent in
five years, and privately-owned power
stations and renewable energy are
gaining ground.
The volume of 161kW lines has increased
by only five percent, and no 400kV lines
have been built. Aging high-voltage
power lines need upgrading and the
country experiences unreliable supply
and frequent breakdowns.
As a result, the Israel Corporation was
denied permission to build another power
plant at Mishor Rotem, next to its new
OPC plant. A 17km, 161kW high-voltage
line was specially erected by the electric
company, but a second plant would
require a 400kW line and cost hundreds of
million of shekels.
A 400kW line currently stretches to Ramat
Hovev, where it splits into two 161kW
lines. It will carry power generated by the
planned 250MW solar energy station at
Ashalim.
Grid crisis looms
for Israel