Northwest Unions Call For Aluminum Smelters To Be Off Grid by 2006 With Movement Toward Environmentally Sound Energy Sources

Portland, OR—The United Steelworkers of America-led labor alliance is launching a grass-roots drive to lobby support for a proposal that would ensure that aluminum smelters become energy self-sufficient in five years, with a transition to more environmentally responsible energy sources, including wind power.  The Washington State Labor Council and the Oregon AFL-CIO have united with the Steelworkers in this effort.

 

Spurred by the energy crisis and the recognition that reliance on BPA power has been destructive to salmon, ratepayers, and communities, Northwest unions are driving to change the way aluminum smelters interact with the energy system.  “This win-win approach gets the aluminum smelters off the hydro system, protects the environment and ratepayers, and retains important family-wage jobs in the region, thus improving the social and environmental health of the Northwest,” said David Foster, District 11 Director of the United Steelworkers of America.

“This will be one of the priorities for the Washington State Labor Council- promoting a solution that will enable us to keep the aluminum industry viable as well as protecting the environment in which we live,” said Al Link, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council.

In a letter addressed to the Bonneville Power Administration dated March 26^th, 2001, the labor alliance lays out a two-tiered rate structure that would give every BPA customer approximately 75% of power allocated for the 2001 – 2006 period at the original rate, with additional power requirements sold at higher market rates.  This would provide financial incentives for conservation.  Rate cap protections are also recommended that would prevent negative financial effects on low-income residential consumers.

Individual aluminum companies would only be eligible to participate in this rate structure provided that they make a commitment to the following conditions:

•  Complete energy self-sufficiency by 2006;

•  Provisions that would mitigate any negative impact on workers during periods of curtailment;

•  Development of new, environmentally sound energy generation, with significant reliance on renewable resources.

For more information, please refer to the attached copy of the letter to BPA.

Link to the letter to the BPA

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