Min: Shutdown of RUSAL’s Nadvoitsy smelter long overdue

MOSCOW, Sep 4 (PRIME) – A shutdown of the Nadvoitsy Aluminum Smelter is long overdue, but aluminum giant RUSAL has not discussed closure of its other plants, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov told PRIME in an interview released on Tuesday.

“Concerning shutting and preservation works at the other facilities, I am unaware of anything of the kind. Maybe, there are rumors or discussions but no such discussions have taken place on the official level,” Manturov said.

RUSAL started temporary shutdown of electrolysis capacities of its Nadvoitsy Aluminum Smelter in the republic of Karelia at the start of August, saying that that the company, which sold its products to the U.S., has been stockpiling the metal since April because of sanctions.

Company sources said that if the U.S. sanctions persist, RUSAL will start shutting down most of its facilities in September.

“We continue dialogue with the company and do not ease our monitoring efforts here,” Manturov said.

“The issue of the Nadvoitsy has been discussed for a long time, it is overdue because keeping RUSAL production in some regions, single-industry cities was economically unreasonable. The Nadvoitsy production was also aimed at the American market.”

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