By Charles Young, The Exponent Telegram
RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Aluminum manufacturer Constellium will receive a portion of $6 billion in federal funds announced Monday by the Biden administration.
The U.S. Department of Energy has pledged “up to $75 million” in federal cost share for Constellium’s Low Carbon SmartMelt Furnace Conversion project at the company’s Ravenswood facility.
The aluminum rolling facility, which is one of the largest in the world, supplies material to the aerospace, defense, marine and transportation sectors.
The project proposes to deploy a first-of-its-kind zero-carbon aluminum casting plant. The project will install low-emissions SmartMelt furnaces that can operate using a range of fuels, including clean hydrogen.
In addition to reducing carbon emissions, the project will improve air quality and worker safety, according to information from the DOE.
As part of the facility upgrades to this project, Constellium plans to build a Community Benefits Building with a new training and wellness center for all employees and an onsite childcare facility.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., as well as state Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael, visited the Ravenswood facility Monday to celebrate the announcement.
