Century Aluminum Sells Idled Hawesville Smelter to Data Center Developer

The sale comes amid rising electricity costs and shifting greenfield ambitions for US primary aluminum production.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Century Aluminum has sold its idled Hawesville, Kentucky smelter site to data center developer TeraWulf. The Hawesville smelter had been Century's largest US facility and the largest domestic producer of military-grade primary aluminum. The sale comes as the US primary aluminum industry faces challenges from soaring electricity prices and uncertainty around new smelter development.

Why it matters

The loss of the Hawesville smelter, which had high-purity aluminum production capacity for aerospace and defense applications, raises concerns about the domestic supply of critical materials. Meanwhile, the repurposing of former smelter sites for data centers highlights the shifting landscape as energy-intensive industries compete for access to competitively priced electricity.

The details

Century idled the Hawesville smelter in June 2022 due to a more than tripling of electricity prices driven by the global energy crisis. The smelter had been exposed to volatile wholesale power prices through its arrangement with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). Even with Section 232 tariffs in place, the high power costs made continued operation uneconomic. While Century has plans to restart some capacity at its Mt. Holly smelter, the loss of Hawesville narrows the options for restoring domestic primary aluminum production.

  • Century idled the Hawesville smelter in June 2022.
  • Century announced plans in 2025 to restart idle capacity at its Mt. Holly smelter.

The players

Century Aluminum

A major US primary aluminum producer that owned and operated the Hawesville smelter.

TeraWulf

The data center developer that is acquiring the former Hawesville smelter site from Century Aluminum.

Arconic

The company that has expanded high-purity aluminum capacity at its Davenport plant, helping to address supply gaps left by the loss of Hawesville.

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA)

The UAE-based aluminum company that has advanced plans for a large-scale US smelter project in Oklahoma, with Century Aluminum as a minority partner.

Alcoa

The other major US primary aluminum producer that has indicated it has no interest in pursuing greenfield smelter investments, instead evaluating brownfield opportunities.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

The sale of the Hawesville smelter highlights the challenges facing the US primary aluminum industry, including rising electricity costs and the repurposing of former smelter sites for other uses. The loss of this high-purity aluminum production capacity raises concerns about the domestic supply of critical materials, underscoring the need for a comprehensive strategy to support and expand US primary aluminum production.