Commenting on this, South32 CEO Graham Kerr said at the annual general meeting (AGM), "As part of our transition away from carbon-intensive energy, we remain mindful of the need to support a fair and just transition for the smelter's workforce, local communities, and the broader South African economy."
Kerr also said that switching to a lower-carbon energy source would be an ideal solution for decarbonisation at Hillside smelter. However, the phenomenon involves challenges, particularly when it comes to developing large-scale renewable and low-carbon energy sources in South Africa.
Thus, Hillside is extensively exploring potential solutions to reduce Hillside's emission intensity in the near term. Acquiring nuclear energy is one such solution South32 is eyeing.
Recently, the mining company has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Eskom to source nuclear energy from Koeberg nuclear facilities in the Western Cape.
Hillside and Eskom share a strong bond. Their power agreement is based on allowing Hillside to continue supplying aluminium to Europe, particularly in light of the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) coming into place.
