& nbsp; On October 30, 1962, electricity for electrolysis was first switched on in the Rheinwerk. For the 50-year start-up, Hydro Group board member Oliver Bell also thanked many other representatives from politics, administration and associations for their great commitment to energy-intensive operation.

Bell: "The birthday cake has not yet been earned. The EU already adopted the CO ₂ compensation in electricity prices in May; now we expect more and more urgently that the German government will finally implement it, and completely. "Without this reimbursement of high additional costs, Hydro will not be able to start the plant from emergency operation from 2013 - to a planned annual output of 150,000 tons.

Bell, who was also elected new president of the Metal Business Association a few days ago, emphasized: "Our industry can only make its important contribution to solutions for the energy transition and to industrial added value in Germany if it has competitive electricity costs. For us, it's about being or not being. ”

Since February 2009, the Rheinwerk hut has only been operating in emergency mode due to high electricity prices, with a capacity of around 50,000 tons per year and with several phases of short-time work for today's 680 employees. On the basis of the EU directive for CO ₂ compensation, Hydro has concluded a contract to purchase electricity for five years and plans to start up the smelter in the first half of 2013. The liquid metal produced is to be imported, replace less efficient cold metal.