By Kari Williamson

REC says the downsizing is in aid of reducing its exposure towards a continued weak spot market for solar wafers.

On 29 November, REC announced the temporary halt of 60% of the production at the 650 MW multicrystalline solar wafer facility at Herøya, Norway.

After the cuts REC expects to produce approximately 105 MW of multi- and monocrystalline wafers in Norway in the first quarter 2012.

The integrated solar wafer, cell and module facility in Singapore (700 MW annual wafer to module capacity) and the polysilicon facilities in the US (19.000 MT annual polysilicon capacity) continues to operate at full capacity.