LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One of the nation's largest aluminum manufacturers delivered a crushing blow this week in Hawesville, Kentucky.
The Century Aluminum plant in Hancock County will shut down, cutting more than 600 jobs in a town of 950 people.
Employees found out on June 22 that the company will start the shutdown process on June 27. Now there will be many who will no longer drive through the gates at the smelter plant.
The company said the plant is closing because of the rise in energy costs, linked to the war in Ukraine. The company's CEO said energy costs to run the plant have nearly tripled.
Century Aluminum said it will work to help the union find unemployment benefits and other teaching opportunities for the employees being laid off.
The plant could be closed between 9 to 12 months. Many in the community were caught off guard.
Just a week ago, one man was trying to get a job at the plant.
"People drive to work and then find out, 'hey I got laid off of work,'" Kole Hooker said. "That's a waste of gas, waste of time and it's a smack in the face because who knows when they're going to open up next."
This is not the first time the plant has temporally shut down. The plant closed for several months back in 2015. Blaming "Chinese Overcapacity."
The city's mayor said this will be a hit to the local economy, impacting utilities the plant pays for, like water.
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