Rusal, a leading global producer of aluminium, has reportedly commenced the operation of the first phase of the world’s most advanced low-carbon aluminium production plant Taishet Aluminium Smelter (TaAZ) in Taishet, Siberia. This represents Rusal’s commitment to decarbonize its operations and consumer products chains.
The news came after the smelter’s opening ceremony on December 17, attended by the representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District Anatoly Seryshev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Victoria Abramchenko, Governor of the Irkutsk Region Igor Kobzev, and the General Director of RUSAL Evgenii Nikitin.
The smelter is considered one of the greenest in the world, run on clean energy from Siberian hydroelectric power plants. Thanks to its modern gas cleaning equipment and a closed water circulation system, the state-of-the-art smelter has a low-level of impact on the environment.
Pre-operation verifications and testing at the smelter will begin today.
Taishet Aluminium Smelter is the third low-carbon aluminium smelter built by Rusal. The project involves a total cost of more than $1.69 billion, creating over 1000 local jobs.
Once fully operational, the smelter will most likely produce 428.5 thousand tonnes of low-carbon aluminium per annum in the first phase and will play a critical role in the town’s overall social and economic development.
Sales of low-carbon aluminium produced in Taishet will cater to the extrusion and rolled products segments. About a quarter of production will serve the domestic Russian market.
Bernard Zonneveld, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RUSAL, commented: “The opening of our new low-carbon aluminium smelter in Taishet is an important milestone in RUSAL’s journey to decarbonization as we look to supply the world with low-carbon aluminium. Our aluminium will have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry, helping to further strengthen our ties with customers who are leading the green revolution. Our smelter in Taishet will help to address the high global demand for low-carbon aluminium.”
General Director of RUSAL, Evgenii Nikitin, said: “Throughout the construction of the Taishet Aluminium Smelter, the most modern and environmentally friendly technologies that exist in the global aluminium industry were used, with technological processes almost 100% automated. We plan to replicate this model by building new low-carbon aluminium production plants on the site of facilities in Bratsk, Shelekhov, Krasnoyarsk and Novokuznetsk, as part of our sustainable modernization, bringing us a step closer to our Net Zero target in 2050.”
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