The Sohar Aluminium smelter has ramped back up to around 25% of capacity after a power outage in August halted operations, the company's CEO, Said Mohammed Al Masoudi, said Tuesday.
Speaking in a panel discussion at the Arabal 2017 conference in Muscat, he said the company was targeting full resumption of operations by April but was hopeful of completing the ramp-up ahead of schedule.
The smelter has an annual production capacity of 375,000 mt/year, but output has been reduced since a power cut on August 4; following the shutdown, a gradual restart began in mid-September.
Sohar produced 35,000 mt of metal in the September quarter, compared with 95,000 mt in the year-earlier period, according to the most recent production report from Rio Tinto, which has a 20% stake in the smelter.
The smelter's balance of shares is held by Oman Oil (40%), and Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. PJSC-TAQA (40%).
