Aluminium smelters generate hot debate in Iceland

[jpak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL2273158720070423?pageNumber=3

At the still-unfinished plant that sits alongside a fjord like a giant's toy, workers from Alcoa and contractor Bechtel are bringing Fjardaal to life.

Most of Bechtel's construction crew are foreign but Alcoa says Fjardaal will be run by Icelanders. At full capacity it will produce 346,000 tons of aluminium a year and employ 400 people.

Iceland Movement leader Omar Ragnarsson says this is a small gain given how much government-owned power provider Landsvirkjun has plunged into the Karahnjukar plant Alcoa will use.

"It is like a gold rush. It's a power rush," said scientist Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir, who may run for the Iceland Movement.

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