Cameroon Starts Supplying Extra Pwr To Aluminum Plant-Report

YAOUNDE, Cameroon -(Dow Jones)-The Kribi Power Development Corp. has started supplying electricity to boost aluminum output at Cameroon's sole smelter, a statement issued through Cameroon state radio by the company said Wednesday.

The 41 megawatts additional power supply is part of 155-216 MW of generating capacity for Cameroonian industrial and household consumption to be created by two gas-fired thermal plants under construction by the KPDC.

Cameroon government owns 44% of the KPDC, while the remainder 56% is controlled by AES Corp. (AES). AES bought 56% of Cameroon's former state-owned electricity firm, the National Electricity Corporation, or Sonel, in 2001 to become AES-Sonel.

Alucam, an affiliate of Rio Tinto PLC (RTP), depends on AES-Sonel, which owns KPDC, to power its aluminum production of 90,000 metric tons a year. Due to inadequate power supply, the smelter has temporarily stopped production.

Alucam and AES-Sonel reached an agreement earlier August to get its energy supply raised by September to stabilize aluminum output.

-By Emmanuel Tumanjong, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; [phone], [phone]; [e-mail]