Butte Silicon plant owner says it will scale back operations 

Global semiconductor company REC Silicon said Wednesday it is closing a major production line at its Butte facility because of higher electricity costs, a move that will cost jobs and signals a potential complication for federal efforts to strengthen supply chains for U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing. Specifically, the Norway-based company announced that it plans to shutter its energy-intensive Butte polysilicon business, which produces a solid silicon product used in semiconductors and solar panels. The company said it does plan to maintain “full focus” on the Butte portion of its f