(Courtesy Braidy Industries) Century Aluminum received the award to build the first aluminum smelter in the U.S. in nearly half a century. The DOE says its design would cut carbon emissions by 75% compared to other plants. A specific site has not yet been chosen, but the DOE says it’s planned to be built along either the Ohio or Mississippi River basins. The company has indicated a preference for northeast Kentucky. Kentucky Conservation Committee director Lane Boldman is a proponent of the site. She says it would be a big job creator. “Kentucky, in my opinion, looked to be an ideal project because of the workforce we have in eastern Kentucky, the fact that they currently have another plant that's idled and you want to replace that workforce,” Boldman said. If the project goes through, it would bring 1,000 jobs and 5,500 construction jobs to the Commonwealth. The final decision on where it’s built will depend on access to clean energy sources and available workforce. Copyright 2025 WEKU.