Elkem postpones start-up of Iceland furnace

2023-12-21

Dec. 21, 2023 - Elkem will postpone the start-up of its furnace 3 on Iceland by one month. This follows a notice from the national power company about the need for electricity curtailment for large energy users due to low water levels in key hydropower reservoirs.

Elkem’s furnace 3 on Iceland was temporarily shut down in the fourth quarter of this year in order to accelerate maintenance, with a ramp-down starting from 30 September. The planned start-up has now been postponed until the end of January 2024. This postponement will have no impact on customers or employees.

The national power company, Landsvirkjun, recently notified large energy users in the southwestern part of Iceland that energy needed for their operations has to be curtailed. Precipitation in the region has been deficient this December, and water levels are severely low. Neither the curtailment nor the postponement has been influenced by the volcano eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, which has had no direct or indirect impact on Elkem’s operations.

The core product at Elkem in Iceland is speciality ferrosilicon, which is a key material for the steel industry.