FERNDALE, Wash. – Alcoa has announced that its Intalco aluminum smelter near Ferndale is now officially closed.

The smelter has been idle since 2020 and the announcement marks an end to hopes the facility could return to full operation.

The company cites a lack of access to competitively priced power as the ultimate reason for the closure.

That issue sank an effort by an investment firm to take the facility over and restart the smelter.

In the press release, Alcoa stated that a process has begun to prepare the site for new economic development opportunities.

They say Canadian corporation AltaGas has acquired the rights to develop and own about 1,600 acres at the Intalco site.

The President of AltaGas says they are exploring potential development that would align with Whatcom County’s climate ambitions and provide long-term benefits to the local economy and community.