Nuclear aluminium plans progress
03 October 2008
[Nuclear.Ru] Two projects involving Rosatom and Russian Aluminium (Rusal) are moving towards decision. One is Phase II the of Balakovo nuclear power plant, which will involve two 1000 MWe reactors, with a 1.05 million tonne pear year aluminium smelter on the Volga River in the Saratov region. The reactors will provide one third of their output directly to the smelter. The other project is a new 4000 MWe power plant at Primorye in Russia's Far East with a 600,000 tonne per year aluminium smelter taking one third of the output. The projects are estimated to cost $7 billion and $10 billion respectively. A third Rusal-Rosatom project for Kola appears to have been dropped. Oligarch Oleg Deripaska holds 66% of Rusal and is behind the ventures, for which feasibility studies will be completed in December.