RUSAL opens new low-carbon aluminium smelter in Taishet

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Media OutReach – 17 December 2021 – RUSAL (SEHK: 486, Moscow
Exchange: RUAL) a leading global aluminium producer, opens the first phase of
the world’s most advanced low-carbon aluminium production plant, Taishet
Aluminium Smelter (TaAZ), in Taishet, Siberia, further demonstrating RUSAL’s
commitment to decarbonization of its operations and consumer product chains.

The state-of-the-art smelter is one
of the greenest in the world, operating on clean energy from Siberian
hydroelectric power plants, which together with modern gas cleaning equipment
and a closed water circulation system, has a low level impact on the
environment. Full scope CO2 emissions will be one of the lowest in the
industry. Pre-operation verifications and testing will begin today.

TaAZ is the third low-carbon
aluminum smelter to be built by RUSAL, with an overall cost of more than $1.69
bn, creating over 1,000 local jobs. Once fully operational, the smelter is
expected to produce 428.5 thousand tons of low-carbon aluminium per year during
its first phase and will play a critical role in the town’s overall social and
economic development, with RUSAL fully committed to supporting local
communities. 

Sales of the low-carbon aluminium
produced in Taishet will be focused towards the extrusion and rolled products
segments, helping to meet the high demand for low-carbon aluminium worldwide.
Approximately one quarter of production will serve the domestic Russian market.

On December 17 a ceremony was held
at Taishet to mark the opening of the plant, 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.

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 Aluminum 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.”

The project was funded with RUSAL’s
own capital, along with a syndicated loan from VTB (30 bn rubles) and
Gazprombank (15 bn rubles).