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Commitments and Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies We have pending against us or may be subject to various lawsuits, claims and proceedings related primarily to employment, commercial, stockholder, environmental, safety and health matters and are involved in other matters that may give rise to contingent liabilities. While the results of such matters and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe that the ultimate outcome of any such matters and claims will not have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, because of the nature and inherent uncertainties of litigation and estimating liabilities, should the resolution or outcome of these actions be unfavorable, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially and adversely affected. In evaluating whether to accrue for losses associated with legal or environmental contingencies, it is our policy to take into consideration factors such as the facts and circumstances asserted, our historical experience with contingencies of a similar nature, the likelihood of our prevailing and the severity of any potential loss. For some matters, no accrual is established because we have assessed our risk of loss to be remote. Where the risk of loss is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, we record an accrual, either on an individual basis or with respect to a group of matters involving similar claims, based on the factors set forth above. While we regularly review the status of, and our estimates of potential liability associated with, contingencies to determine the adequacy of any associated accruals and related disclosures, the ultimate amount of loss may differ from our estimates. Legal Contingencies Vernon In July 2006, we were named as a defendant, together with certain affiliates of Alcan Inc., in a lawsuit brought by Alcoa Inc. seeking to determine responsibility for certain environmental indemnity obligations related to the sale of a cast aluminum plate manufacturing facility located in Vernon, California, which we purchased from Alcoa Inc. in December 1998, and sold to Alcan Rolled Products-Ravenswood LLC in July 1999. The complaint also seeks costs and attorney fees. The matter was stayed by the court in 2008 to allow for the remediation of environmental areas at the site. On June 30, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware ordered the stay lifted and reopened the case. Discovery was completed in the third quarter of 2019. Trial was bifurcated and moved to September 2021 for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA") issues and to a later undetermined date for questions of fact. At this stage, we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this action or estimate a range of reasonably possible losses related to this matter. Ravenswood Retiree Medical Benefits In November 2009, Century Aluminum of West Virginia ("CAWV") filed a class action complaint for declaratory judgment against the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union ("USW"), the USW’s local and certain CAWV retirees, individually and as class representatives ("CAWV Retirees"), seeking a declaration of CAWV’s rights to modify/terminate retiree medical benefits. Later in November 2009, the USW and representatives of a retiree class filed a separate suit against CAWV, Century Aluminum Company, Century Aluminum Master Welfare Benefit Plan, and various John Does with respect to the foregoing. On August 18, 2017, the District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia approved a settlement agreement in respect of these actions, pursuant to which agreement, CAWV agreed to make payments into a trust for the benefit of the CAWV Retirees in the aggregate amount of $23.0 million over the course of ten years. Upon approval of the settlement, we paid $5.0 million to the aforementioned trust in September 2017 and recognized a gain of $5.5 million to arrive at the-then net present value of $12.5 million. CAWV has agreed to pay the remaining amounts under the settlement agreement in annual increments of $2.0 million for nine years. As of March 31, 2021, $2.0 million was recorded in other current liabilities and $7.7 million was recorded in other liabilities. PBGC Settlement In 2013, we entered into a settlement agreement with the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation ("PBGC") regarding an alleged "cessation of operations" at our Ravenswood facility. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, we agreed to make additional contributions (above any minimum required contributions) to our defined benefit pension plans totaling approximately $17.4 million. Under certain circumstances, in periods of lower primary aluminum prices relative to our cost of operations, we are able to defer one or more of these payments, provided that we provide the PBGC with acceptable security for such deferred payments. We did not make any contributions for the three month periods ended March 31, 2021, and 2020. We have elected to defer certain payments under the PBGC agreement and have provided the PBGC with the appropriate security. The remaining contributions under this agreement are approximately $9.6 million. Environmental Contingencies Matters relating to the St. Croix Alumina Refining Facility We are a party to a United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrative Order on Consent (the "Order") pursuant to which certain past and present owners of an alumina refining facility at St. Croix, Virgin Islands (the "St. Croix Alumina Refinery") have agreed to carry out a Hydrocarbon Recovery Plan to remove and manage hydrocarbons floating on groundwater underlying the facility. Pursuant to the Hydrocarbon Recovery Plan, recovered hydrocarbons and groundwater are delivered to the adjacent petroleum refinery where they are received and managed. In October 2020, parties participating in the Hydrocarbon Recovery Plan filed a complaint against Century and Virgin Islands Alumina Corporation, L.L.C. relating to the Hydrocarbon Recover Plan. The deadline to respond to the complaint has been postponed by all parties until May 27, 2021. At this time, we are not able to estimate the amount of any future potential payments under this indemnification to comply with the Order, but we do not anticipate that any such amounts will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity, regardless of the final outcome. In December 2010, Century was among several defendants named in a lawsuit filed by plaintiffs who either worked, resided or owned property in the area downwind from the St. Croix Alumina Refinery. In March 2011, Century was also named a defendant in a nearly identical suit brought by certain additional plaintiffs. The plaintiffs in both suits allege damages caused by the presence of red mud and other particulates coming from the alumina facility and are seeking unspecified monetary damages, costs and attorney fees as well as certain injunctive relief. We tendered indemnity and defense to St. Croix Alumina LLC and Alcoa Alumina & Chemical LLC under the terms of an acquisition agreement relating to the facility and have filed motions to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims. In August 2015, the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, Division of St. Croix denied the motions to dismiss but ordered all plaintiffs to refile individual complaints. On February 28, 2018, plaintiffs in both cases filed a Motion for Voluntary Dismissal of Century without prejudice to refiling. At this time, it is not possible to predict the ultimate outcome of or to estimate a range of reasonably possible losses for any of the foregoing actions relating to the St. Croix Alumina Refinery. Power Commitments and Contingencies Hawesville Hawesville has a power supply arrangement with Kenergy and EDF Trading North America, LLC (“EDF") which provides market-based power to the Hawesville smelter. Under this arrangement, the power companies purchase power on the open market and pass it through to Hawesville at Midcontinent Independent System Operator ("MISO") pricing plus transmission and other costs. The power supply arrangement with Kenergy has an effective term through December 2023. The arrangement with EDF to act as our market participant with MISO has an effective term through May 2022. Each of these agreements provide for automatic extension on a year-to-year basis unless a one year notice is given. Sebree Sebree has a power supply arrangement with Kenergy and EDF which provides market-based power to the Sebree smelter. Similar to the arrangement at Hawesville, the power companies purchase power on the open market and pass it through to Sebree at MISO pricing plus transmission and other costs. The power supply arrangement with Kenergy has an effective term through December 2023. The arrangement with EDF to act as our market participant with MISO has an effective term through May 2022. Each of these agreements provides for automatic extension on a year-to-year basis unless a one year notice is given. Mt. Holly CASC has a power supply agreement with Santee Cooper that has an effective term beginning April 1, 2021 and runs through December 2023. Under this power supply agreement, 100% of Mt. Holly’s electrical power requirements are supplied from Santee Cooper’s generation at cost of service based rates. The contract is expected to provide sufficient energy to allow Mt. Holly to increase its production to 75% of full production capacity. Grundartangi Grundartangi has power purchase agreements for approximately 525 MW with HS Orka hf ("HS"), Landsvirkjun and Orkuveita Reykjavikur ("OR") to provide power to its Grundartangi smelter. These power purchase agreements expire on various dates from 2023 through 2036 (subject to extension). The power purchase agreements with HS and OR both provide power at LME-based variable rates for the duration of these agreements. The power purchase agreement with Landsvirkjun for 161 MW provides power at rates linked to the Nord Pool power market. Helguvik Nordural Helguvik ehf ("Helguvik") has a power purchase agreement with OR to provide a portion of the power requirements to the Helguvik project. The agreement would provide power at LME-based variable rates and contain take-or-pay obligations with respect to a significant percentage of the total committed and available power under such agreement. The first phase of power under the OR purchase agreement (approximately 47.5 MW) became available in the fourth quarter of 2011 and is currently being utilized at Grundartangi. The agreement also contains certain conditions to OR’s obligations with respect to the remaining phases and OR has alleged that certain of these conditions have not been satisfied. Other Commitments and Contingencies Labor Commitments The bargaining unit employees at our Grundartangi, Vlissingen, Hawesville and Sebree facilities are represented by labor unions, representing approximately 66% of our total workforce. Approximately 85% of Grundartangi’s work force is represented by five labor unions, governed by a labor agreement that establishes wages and work rules for covered employees. This agreement is effective through December 31, 2024. 100% of Vlissingen's work force is represented by the FME since Vlissingen is a member of the Federation for the Metal and Electrical Industry ("FME"), a Netherlands' employers' organization for companies in the metal, electronics, electrical engineering and plastic sectors. The FME negotiates working conditions with trade unions on behalf of its members, which, when agreed upon, are then applicable to all employees of Vlissingen. The current labor agreement expired on December 1, 2020 and since such time we have been operating under the terms of the expired agreement while we engage in negotiations regarding the terms of a new labor agreement. Approximately 58% of our U.S. based work force is represented by USW. On April 16, 2021, a new labor agreement for Hawesville employees was reached, running through April 1, 2026. Refer to Note 14. Subse quent Events for further detail. Century Sebree's labor agreement with the USW for its employees is effective through October 28, 2023. Mt. Holly employees are not represented by a labor union.

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