Atlantic Alumina (Atalco) has secured an additional $100 million investment from the U.S. Department of War (DoW) to support the expansion and long-term operation of its alumina refinery in Gramercy, Louisiana.
The follow-on preferred equity investment was made through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) programme, bringing the DoW’s total investment in Atalco to $400 million. The funding has also helped catalyse $350 million in parallel investment from existing backers, with a further $50 million expected, bringing combined third-party investment to approximately $400 million.
The overall $800 million strategic investment programme is intended to restore the Gramercy refinery’s production capacity to approximately 1.2 million tonnes of alumina annually.
The facility is strategically important to the U.S. aluminium supply chain, accounting for around 55% of domestic alumina demand. Its output supplies aluminium producers including Century Aluminum’s smelters in Kentucky and South Carolina, as well as manufacturing operations across several U.S. states. 
The investment is expected to preserve approximately 875 direct jobs, including 530 refinery positions, while strengthening domestic supply security. By 2029, Atalco is expected to produce enough alumina to cover approximately 142% of the DoW’s projected annual metallurgical aluminium requirement.
Source: war.gov with additional information added by Glass Balkan
