Oklahoma Primary Aluminum is at the forefront of a national movement, initiated and supported by President Trump, to bring manufacturing back to the United States. As the first new aluminum production facility built in the U.S. in more than four decades, it represents a significant step toward strengthening supply chains, including providing metal critically important to national defense and many basic industries, doubling domestic aluminum output, reducing reliance on imports and creating a manufacturing hub that will result in high-quality jobs locally and throughout the region.

Primary aluminum is brand new metal made directly from raw materials and is used to manufacture cars, agriculture products, airplanes, electronics, packaging, construction materials and more. Aluminum can be recycled endlessly, so metal made by Oklahoma Primary Aluminum will be used and then reused by Americans in many forms for generations to come.

Roughly 80 percent of all aluminum used in the U.S. is imported, and this project will strengthen American manufacturing by securing a reliable domestic supply. Aluminum made in Oklahoma will support critical American industries including aerospace, automotive, construction, energy and national defense.

Tulsa Port of Inola was selected as the ideal location for long-term success based on its infrastructure, Oklahoma’s abundant energy, the state’s skilled workforce, river access and the state’s goal of transformative industrial projects as foundations of future economic growth.

The facility will be located within the industrial park at the Port of Inola, a site specifically designated and prepared for industrial use. It has been certified for industrial development since 2014 and was officially zoned heavy industrial by the Town of Inola in 2017. No zoning changes are required to allow for industrial development of the site.

We are conducting environmental surveys and studies as part of the permitting process and expect to begin early site prep by the end of 2026.

• 2026: Planning and regulatory permitting processes are initiated.
• End of 2026: Final approvals and permits are secured and site work begins.
• 2027–2029: Construction period, including sourcing jobs and local opportunities, with 4,000 construction workers employed.
• By the end of the decade: Facility opens with the initial hiring of 1,000 employees.

Yes. Oklahoma Primary Aluminum will be based in Oklahoma and fully subject to all applicable U.S. laws and regulations, just like any domestic company operating here.

The project is expected to generate $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue over 30 years, helping support schools, local infrastructure such as roads and utilities and essential services like police and fire.

We will continue updating the Answers Center as new information and project updates become available. Community members can also follow project updates on Facebook at facebook.com/OklahomaPrimaryAluminum or contact the project team directly at contact@oklahomaprimaryaluminum.com.

• 1,000 direct, high-quality jobs at the facility, offering competitive wages and skills training that support long-term economic opportunity for local workers and families.
• 2,000 indirect jobs in areas such as materials, transportation, maintenance, professional services and other support needed to operate the facility.
• 4,000 construction jobs during the construction phase.

Most of the construction jobs will be with contractors and subcontractors, creating opportunities for local workers and businesses. We will encourage contractors to hire locally whenever possible.

Hiring for plant operation roles will begin near the initiation of production. While recruitment has not yet begun, job openings will be posted in the careers section of our website. We will prioritize hiring local people and look forward to connecting with qualified applicants from the community when opportunities become available.

An industrial plant like this, and the prosperity it brings, will create many other related economic opportunities and jobs in the community.

Century Aluminum created strong partnerships with the communities surrounding its locations, in the U.S. and abroad. We launched CenturyCares in Mt. Holly, S.C. to give back to programs that support education, families and the environment. In Sebree, Kentucky, neighbors farm on our property adjacent to the smelter, growing hundreds of acres of soybean and corn. Below are some of the ways our efforts have been recognized.

• Kentucky Division of Water Area Wide Optimization Program Award (2025)
• United Way of Henderson County (Kentucky) Award (multiple years)
• Toys for Tots Gold Award Winner (Kentucky), 2025
• Battle of for the Golden Goose, scholarship sponsor (S.C.), 2025
• Nation Builders’ Award – United Way of Jamaica
• Corporate Social Responsibility Award – Jamaica Exporters Federation Private Sector Award
• Distinguished Service Award – Northern Caribbean University
• Environmental Company of the Year in 2022 by the SA Confederation of Icelandic Enterprises, marking the first time a heavy industrial business received this honor.
• Fjörusteinn environmental award from Faxaflóahafnir Harbor Association, 2023
• Iceland Gender Equality Award, 2021,2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
• Century’s corporate governance efforts were recognized two consecutive years with the Proxy of the Year Award from Governance Intelligence (2024, 2025).
• ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified for safety and quality standards (all locations), and Aluminum Stewardship Initiative certified for meeting environmental, social and governance standards (Grundartangi and Jamaica).

During construction and operations, most materials will be moved by river barges and rail, with some road transportation used where necessary. In operation, conveyor belts will carry materials from the river docks to the plant, keeping road traffic low.

For comparison, large warehouses or retail centers often generate hundreds or thousands of truck trips each day. The traffic resulting from this facility is expected to have a significantly smaller impact on local roads.

The facility will utilize Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA) technology that has advanced through 10 technology generations and is now a global leader, with innovations that significantly reduce electricity use per ton when compared with legacy technologies, boosting efficiency and sustainability. The new facility will be modern and highly controlled, with multiple environmental safeguards in place.

• Enclosed potlines with advanced hooding systems – production units will be covered and fitted with ventilation hoods that capture and filter gases and dust at the source, similar to how a kitchen stove hood traps steam and smoke.
• Scrubbing systems – act like giant air filters that remove gases and dust from exhaust, similar to how a vacuum cleaner traps dust so it doesn’t blow back into the room.
• Emissions monitoring systems – automated instruments that track emissions, like air quality, ensuring emissions remain within strict U.S. limits. These systems and related emissions are subject to a rigorous permit review process at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
• Energy-efficient EX smelting technology – reduces emissions and energy use while producing more aluminium per unit of energy, making the process cleaner and more efficient.
• Advanced storage and transport of raw materials – all materials are kept in enclosed storage areas, silos, and covered conveyor belts preventing dust from escaping and protecting the surrounding community.

There are multiple levels of regulatory oversight at the federal, state and local levels.

At the federal level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates aluminum smelter emissions under the Clean Air Act, including National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, which set strict limits for regulated pollutants. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also enforces workplace safety standards, including exposure limits and Process Safety Management programs.

At the state level, the Oklahoma Department for Environmental Quality, in conjunction with federal oversight, has authority and will implement these applicable environmental programs and standards through a permitting system. These permits will establish emission limits, monitoring requirements and operating conditions.

At the local level, additional protections include zoning regulations that ensure appropriate distance from residential areas, emergency planning and building codes that guide facility design and safety systems. Together, this layered approach provides strong oversight and protection for community health and safety.

The facility will maintain its own fully trained, professionally equipped on-site emergency response team, including fire, medical and hazardous materials capabilities. We will actively coordinate with local first responders ensuring proper preparation in the unlikely event there is a need for such services. Also, this added capacity could also support local responders during major local incidents outside of our gate, strengthening emergency readiness in the area.

Before construction begins, a comprehensive emergency response plan will be developed, outlining what actions will be taken, who will be contacted and how information will be quickly shared with nearby residents.

This facility is designed to reduce emissions through advanced technology and best operational practices, which meet and exceed regulatory requirements. The plant can only be built and operated when it demonstrates that it meets these strict regulatory standards.

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum will be a modern, highly controlled plant with multiple safeguards, including emissions monitoring systems. These systems act like air quality monitors, tracking emissions to ensure they stay within strict U.S. limits and are consistently reported to regulators. Further, these systems have been demonstrated to be protective of human health and the environment.

This facility will employ the most advanced emissions control technology available worldwide to keep emissions tightly controlled. Fluoride emissions are regulated under programs established by the EPA and implemented by DEQ through its permitting authority. Because fluoride compounds are an essential ingredient in aluminum smelting, recovering and recycling them is central to the economics of modern operations. The facility will use advanced dry scrubbing systems to capture fluoride emissions and return them to the smelting process. This recycled fluoride reduces the need for purchased fluoride compounds, minimizing both emissions and waste while lowering operating costs. The facility will be engineered to capture and reuse approximately 99% of the fluoride used in production.

Our facility will generally be modeled after EGA’s Al Taweelah plant in Abu Dhabi, which is recognized as one of the best-performing facilities in the world. Learn more about global standards here.

In the 1960s, aluminum smelters with few emissions controls caused documented harm to livestock, crops and ecosystems, prompting major environmental reforms. The US Clean Air Act and EPA established enforceable emission limits for hydrogen fluoride - limits established from the same science that documented the historical harm and which were specifically calibrated to stay below levels that could impact cattle, crops and people. As a result of continuous improvements, total fluoride emissions have fallen by more than 80% since the 1960s. The Oklahoma Primary Aluminum facility will be permitted, designed, constructed and operated to meet and exceed those protective limits, together with baseline and ongoing monitoring of soil, pasture vegetation and air quality. 

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum will operate under a stringent Title V air permit, requiring mandatory reporting to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), including an annual emissions inventory. Any permitted exceedance must be reported to the ODEQ by the next business day, followed by a certified written report within 30 days. Permitting documentation and compliance records are publicly accessible through DEQ's online portal at oklahoma.gov/deq.

To ensure ongoing transparency and accountability, baseline and ongoing soil and groundwater monitoring will be conducted in accordance with regulatory requirements, with results shared publicly with the community.

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum is committed to full compliance with all applicable U.S. environmental regulations, which provide multiple layers of protection for soil, groundwater and waterways.

• The facility will operate under Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) Construction and Industrial Stormwater Permits, requiring comprehensive inspection, monitoring and reporting programs, as well as detailed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans designed to prevent runoff and groundwater contamination.
• Additional safeguards will be built into the facility’s design. Raw materials will be stored in enclosed, impermeable structures, while waste materials will be temporarily contained in sealed concrete bunkers before being transported off-site for recycling or processing, minimizing any risk of soil or groundwater exposure.
• Water management will also be subject to multiple levels of oversight. Industrial wastewater will be processed in accordance with a Tulsa Port of Inola Industrial User Permit before entering the Port’s wastewater treatment plant, which itself operates under a separate Oklahoma DEQ discharge permit. This creates two independently regulated and monitored treatment stages.

Industrial wastewater from the facility will be treated under strict pretreatment standards before being discharged to the Tulsa Port of Inola Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facility will operate under an Industrial User Permit issued by the Tulsa Port of Inola, which includes specific discharge limits, monitoring and reporting requirements.

No. In aluminum smelting, arsenic is not used as a raw input material. As a result, arsenic is not released at levels that could affect human health or the environment.

Modern aluminum production facilities are not typically associated with odor generation. Any potential odor sources such as sewage water will be managed through the wastewater treatment plant.

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum will be required to submit a comprehensive annual emissions inventory covering all regulated air pollutants through the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) State and Local Emissions Inventory System (SLEIS). In addition, any emissions exceeding permitted limits must be reported to ODEQ by the next business day, followed by a certified written report within 30 days detailing the cause, impact and corrective actions taken.

This reporting framework provides ongoing regulatory oversight and accountability, while permitting documents, emissions data and compliance records remain publicly accessible through ODEQ's online portal, ensuring transparency for the community.

Aluminum smelters operate under a very comprehensive regulatory framework. Before construction or operation can begin, the facility must obtain multiple permits, including detailed air emissions approvals, undergo extensive technical review, and demonstrate that it can meet strict environmental and safety standards.

Once operational, large industrial facilities are subject to ongoing oversight, including regular inspections, continuous monitoring, and reporting requirements designed to ensure emissions remain within permitted limits and that the facility operates responsibly.

Like many types of businesses, industrial facilities must follow regulations that reflect the scale and nature of their operations. For aluminum smelters, this means a high level of regulatory scrutiny intended to protect the environment, workers, and the surrounding community.

Our approach is to meet, and where possible exceed, applicable regulatory requirements while continuing to listen to community feedback as the project moves forward.

This project is proposed for the Port of Inola, which is already zoned for industrial use. Similar facilities operate safely and successfully in both urban and rural communities. Century Aluminum’s facility in Sebree, Kentucky has operated for nearly 50 years. For much of that time, the company leased land it owns to local farmers, who planted corn and soybeans on it. They still grow those crops on this land today.

Jebel Ali smelter in the United Arab Emirates is within the city limits of Dubai, with a major shopping mall and premium residential neighborhoods in close proximity. The facility has operated successfully since 1979.

Oklahoma Primary Aluminum will source electricity from the grid, and is in negotiations with Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) to finalize the power agreement. The agreement will be reviewed and approved by the independent Oklahoma Corporate Commission which oversees setting PSO electricity rates in Oklahoma. Part of the purpose of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission regulatory process is to assess and minimize any impacts on power bills on other customers, both residential and commercial.

EGA’s next-generation technology reduces electricity use by roughly one-third per ton of aluminum compared to the other facilities operating in the United States.

EGA’s industry leading-technology reduces the amount of electricity needed to make each ton of aluminum. The project is currently negotiating a long-term Electricity Supply Agreement with PSO (Public Service Company of Oklahoma) and the utility’s generation providers are working to increase grid capacity.