Century Aluminum Sebree
Large load · 9404 STATE RTE 2096, Robards, KY
Century Aluminum's Sebree smelter in Robards, Kentucky, is a primary aluminum plant with roughly 220,000 tonnes a year of capacity. It is one of the largest single electric loads in western Kentucky: the Kentucky Public Service Commission approved contracts for up to 385 MW of service, which the smelter draws around the clock at a 98 percent load factor. Power is bought on the wholesale market and delivered through the Kenergy cooperative under a 2014 Electric Service Agreement.
Overview
- Contracted demand
- 385 MW
- operating
In the 2014 case approving Sebree's power contracts, the Kentucky PSC described a need for 385 MW of firm, reliable power consumed at a 98 percent load factor. The applicants first filed for up to 378 MW and raised the maximum to 385 MW in a December 2013 update. Electricity then cost the smelter about $180 million a year, almost 35 percent of its cost to produce aluminum.
Profile
- Market power through Kenergy and Big Rivers
- Sebree is a retail customer of Kenergy. Under the 2014 transaction agreements, Big Rivers Electric arranged and procured energy, capacity and ancillary services as MISO Market Participant for resale through Kenergy, replacing contracts dating from Big Rivers' 2009 unwind transaction. Alternate Service Agreements provide up to 10 MW for security, maintenance and safety loads if the smelter ever stops smelting. The PSC approved the agreements for service from January 31, 2014.
- Curtailment and demand response
- The Electric Service Agreement lets Century offer and sell interruption and demand-reduction services, and it pairs with a Load Curtailment Agreement that applies when MISO or Big Rivers, as balancing authority, declares a curtailment event. In a system emergency, Kenergy may reduce deliveries to the smelter after interruptible customers have been cut. The contract also lets Century resell power if it idles one or more potlines.
Facility
- Activity
- Primary aluminium smelting
- Industry
- Manufacturing
- Site type
- Facility
- Operating status
- Operating
- Demand flexibility
- Century may offer and sell interruption and demand reduction services
Permits and agreements
- Agreement
- Electric Service Agreement with Kenergy, with Big Rivers procuring market power as Market Participant
Related records
Timeline
- Jun 1, 2013
- Century Aluminum acquires the Sebree smelter from Alcan Primary Products.
psc.ky.gov
- Jan 31, 2014
- Kentucky PSC-approved market-based power agreements take effect.
psc.ky.gov
- Jun 12, 2025
- Century moves up about $10 million of carbon-plant maintenance originally planned for 2026.
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