Rio Tinto May Close French Plant

Rio Tinto May Close French Plant If Power Prices Increase -Paper Staff Reporters Dow Jones MetalSource Non-Ferrous Metals PARIS -(Dow Jones)- Rio Tinto PLC (RIO.LN) may close its Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne aluminium plant in France, as its power supply contract with state-controlled power group Electricite de France SA (EDF.FR) is to expire which could lead to substantially higher electricity prices, French business daily Les Echos reports, citing an official from Rio Tinto. Talks between the two companies have been ongoing for more than a year and representatives from the two groups were to meet again Monday, at the request of the French Industry Ministry. Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne employs around 600 people. No one at Rio Tinto nor at EDF was immediately available to comment.