Capacity replacement plan released for primary aluminum project of Yunnan Hongtai

The Department of Industry and Information Technology of Yunnan Province originally announced the "Capacity Replacement Plan for the Primary Aluminum Construction Project of Yunnan Hongtai New Materials Co., Ltd." on December 26, 2019 (Yunnan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology Announcement No. 18, 2019). The project was designed for phased construction and staged commissioning.

In January 2021, following a prefecture-level acceptance review by the Wenshan Prefecture industry and information authorities of the capacity replacement plan implementation for Phase C, Section 2 of the Yunnan Hongtai electrolytic aluminum project--comprising 88 440kA electrolytic cells (cell numbers: 3301–3344, 3401–3444)--the Yunnan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology organized industry experts to conduct a provincial-level acceptance review. Subsequently, the 88 cells in this section were progressively energized and commissioned.

However, two cells--No. 3344 and No. 3444--are positioned at the end of Section 2, in close proximity to the three-corridor short-circuit busbar, resulting in extremely poor electromagnetic field stability. Since being energized in January 2021, these two cells have been unable to operate normally. In response, the company applied to adjust the originally planned start-up cells from No. 3344 and No. 3444 (440kA) in Phase C, Section 2 to No. 4336 and No. 4435 (440kA) in Phase D, Section 2.

On May 28, 2026, the industry and information authorities of Wenshan Prefecture and Yanshan County--where the project is located--conducted on-site verifications of the shutdown status of cells No. 3344 and No. 3444 in Phase C, Section 2, as well as the construction status of cells No. 4336 and No. 4435 in Phase D, Section 2. The verification confirmed that the anode carbon blocks of cells No. 3344 and No. 3444 have been removed and are no longer in condition for energized operation, while cells No. 4336 and No. 4435 in Phase D, Section 2 have been built as 440kA models--consistent with the specifications set out in the capacity replacement plan.

The proposed adjustments were publicly posted on the official website of the Wenshan Prefecture People's Government from June 3 to 7, 2026. No objections were raised during the public notice period.