Century Aluminum expanding South Carolina smelter operations

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) — A company that heralds itself as the largest primary aluminum producer in the U.S. is expanding its South Carolina operations. Century Aluminum on Thursday announced 100 new jobs at its Mt. Holly smelter in Moncks Corner. Last fall, the Chicago-based company said it could possibly shutdown the South Carolina facility if state-owned utility Santee Cooper didn’t lower its electric rates. The companies reached a new deal earlier this year, and Century says it’s now hiring 100 new employees for the South Carolina plant. Century says its Mt. Holly smelter is the newest and most efficient in the U.S. The company has two other U.S. smelters, both in Kentucky.