Aluminum surges as AI data centers strain power supply

Smelter operations at Rio Tinto, South32 stymied by soaring electricity prices

Aluminum has been nicknamed "canned electricity" due to how much energy is used in its production. © Reuters

SHUGO YAMADA

January 8, 2026 02:31 JST

TOKYO -- Aluminum prices are soaring on concerns that smelters will face difficulty securing the huge amounts of electricity they need as data centers guzzle up energy amid the artificial intelligence boom.