Alcoa to reopen Massena plant

There was no smoke coming from the stacks at Alcoa's East Plant in Massena Friday. But that is about to change.

"It is a great pleasure for me to announce that Alcoa has decided to reopen the Massena East plant," said John Thuestad of Alcoa.

The plant closed in July 2009 due to a historic drop in aluminum prices. The company furloughed more than 100 employees. Those employees will be given their jobs back. And a few additional people will need to be hired.

"I can't wait for a few months to see the smoke come back out of those stacks, and Massena East to make that world class aluminum we made 18 months ago," said David LaClair, the president of the 458 United Steel Workers.

The decision to reopen was based on two factors; aluminum prices have been climbing over the last several months,  and the New York Power Authority has agreed to allow the aluminum giant to have more time to modernize the plant.

"To be able to take a company that was on the ropes, that was ready for the knockout punch because of the global price of aluminum falling 1,300 percent, the economy being in the dumps," said Richard Kessel of NYPA.

Friday's announcement gives Alcoa two years to design and engineer a new modern East plant in Massena that could bring hundreds of more jobs to the area.

"Today we can rest a little bit more, our future looks a little bit brighter," LaClair said.

The extension with the power authority is critical to the survival of the plant. The power authority will provide cheap power rates to the company in exchange for aluminum from its East and West plants in Massena. And ALCOA must keep at least 900 employees at the two plants for 30 years. The original deal was set to expire this Spring. With the deadline looming, some feared more jobs cuts were in store for Alcoa in Massena. Longtime employees are relieved by the news.

"It is one of the few in the North Country, otherwise people are leaving the area to find better jobs," said William Ross, an Alcoa employee.

Re-energizing a plant that will hopefully re-energize the North Country's economy.

Alcoa also announced it is also reopening two plants out west in Washington.