ABB Group was awarded with a $140 million contract by Qatalum in 2007 to construct the electrical parts of the plant.[1] Inaugurated in April 2010, it was the largest aluminium plant ever launched in one step, costing about $5.7 billion to build.[2] In 2012, ABB was contracted to upgrade the plants power network for $16 million.[3][4] Its annual capacity in September 2011 was 585,000 metric tons of primary aluminium,[5] all to be shipped as value added aluminium casthouse products. A 1350 MW natural gas power plant has also been built to ensure a stable supply of electricity.[6] In 2013, Qatalum and Hydro Aluminium opened a new zero energy and emissions building lab at the Mesaieed Industrial City site, for the development of aluminium cladding for carbon neutral buildings.[7][8]
