April 4, 1980. This article charts the prominence of electricity as a ?prime raw material? in aluminum production. Jack Gates, manager of the Reynolds Aluminum Co. near Portland, is described as a ?frustrated man? due to the electrical shortfalls that his company faced during this time period. Trying to deal with his company?s ?cheap but interruptible? supply of electricity for aluminum production was a major concern for Gates since restarting certain production components of an aluminum plant is costly. The article emphasizes the relationship of aluminum to other industries, such as automobile production, and points out the profound role of the aluminum industry in the Pacific Northwest economy, grossing around $850 million in 1980. KEYWORDS: Pacific Northwest utilities; Hydroelectric Power; Bonneville Power Administration; Reynolds Aluminum Company; Troutdale, OR; Kaiser; Alcoa; Intalco; Martin-Marietta; Industrial Activity; 280DP18034
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