Nuclear-powered aluminium smelter plan progresses

Thursday, 27 March 2008

[Nuclear.Ru, 24 March] AtomStroyExport (ASE) and United Company Rusal, the world's largest aluminium and aluminium oxide producer, have established a design company to conduct a feasibility study and site studies for a combined nuclear power and aluminium smelting facility in Russia's far east. Aluminium smelting is energy-intensive and requires reliable low-cost electricity to be competitive. Timur Ivanov, ASE's vice president, said that a preliminary feasibility study on the project would be completed by the end of 2009 and the construction site review would be completed around the same time. Preliminary estimates for the cost of the project, including four 1000 MW nuclear power reactors, are put at $10 billion. Rosatom (Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency) and Rusal made joint statements in April 2007 saying that they will undertake a feasibility study on such a project. Ivanov said that several schemes are being now discussed concerning the implementation and funding for the project. ASE will have a controlling share in the nuclear construction part of the project.