EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


      KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  Directors  of
Alcoa Inc. (the  "Company")  hereby  constitute  and appoint  RICHARD B. KELSON,
ROBERT G.  WENNEMER,  TIMOTHY S. MOCK and LAWRENCE R.  PURTELL,  or any of them,
their true and lawful attorneys and agents to do any and all acts and things and
execute any and all instruments which said attorneys and agents, or any of them,
may deem  necessary  or  advisable  or may be  required to enable the Company to
comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  and any rules,  regulations
or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in
connection with the registration under said Act of shares of common stock of the
Company to be issued and distributed  pursuant to the Cordant Retirement Savings
and  Investment  Plan,  the  Huck  International  Inc.  Retirement  Savings  and
Investment Plan, the Howmet Corporation  Salaried Employees Savings Plan and the
Howmet  Corporation  Hourly  Employees  Savings Plan or any successor plans (the
"Plans"), and interests of participation in such Plans, including  specifically,
but without  limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  power and authority to
sign the name of the undersigned Directors to any registration  statements to be
filed with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission in respect of said Plans and
shares of common stock,  and interests of participation in such Plans, or any of
them, to any and all  pre-effective  amendments,  post-effective  amendments and
supplements  to any such  registration  statements,  and to any  instruments  or
documents  filed  as  part  of or  in  connection  with  any  such  registration
statements  or  pre-effective   amendments  or   post-effective   amendments  or
supplements thereto; and the undersigned hereby ratify and confirm all that said
attorneys  and  agents,  or any of them,  shall do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned have subscribed these presents on the
date set opposite their names below.

      July 14, 2000                           /s/ Kenneth W. Dam
                                              Kenneth W. Dam

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Joseph T. Gorman
                                              Joseph T. Gorman

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Judith M. Gueron
                                              Judith M. Gueron

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Hugh M. Morgan
                                              Hugh M. Morgan

      July 14, 2000                           /s/John P. Mulroney
                                              John P. Mulroney

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Paul H. O'Neill
                                              Paul H. O'Neill

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Henry B. Schacht
                                              Henry B. Schacht

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Franklin A. Thomas
                                              Franklin A. Thomas

      July 14, 2000                           /s/Marina v.N. Whitman
                                              Marina v.N. Whitman