BELLE CHASSE, La. — The Alliance Refinery in Belle Chasse will shut down and be converted into a storage terminal, and many of the 900 people who work at the plant may lose their job.
The refinery is owned by Phillips 66 has been trying to sell the plant since August, according to a report from The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate.
But heavy damage from Hurricane Ida was too expensive to repair.
“We made this decision after exploring several options and considering the investment needed to repair the refinery following Hurricane Ida,” said Greg Garland, Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66, in a prepared statement.
“Our decision was a difficult one, and we understand it has a profound impact on our employees, contractors and the broader Belle Chasse community,” Garland said.
Tristan Babin, a local spokesman for the company told The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate that employees weren't told about the decision until late Monday.
He told the newspaper the plant had been shut down as a precaution ahead of Ida's arrival on Aug. 29. The refinery's levees had been breached by the surge from the Category 4 storm and caused extensive damage