The Company has completed the main stage of the dam reconstruction at the plant. Total investment in the project exceeds RUB 9 billion, with full completion scheduled for 2026.

Moscow, 3 September 2025 — Nornickel is strengthening the dam and repairing its anti-seepage screen at the Kureyskaya Hydropower Plant (HPP). Located 300 km south of Norilsk, it is one of the world's northernmost hydropower plants. The plant is a key component of Nornickel's isolated energy system and, with an installed capacity of 600 MW, supplies up to a third of the electricity needs of the Norilsk Industrial District. The upgrade will enhance the dam’s reliability and service life, thereby increasing the stability of the power supply.

The dam is a critical component of the HPP, creating the necessary water head to generate power. Of the 9 billion kWh produced and consumed annually in the Norilsk Industrial District, the Kureyskaya HPP generates 2.7 billion kWh.

The upgraded dam will boost the plant's efficiency and is a key milestone in Nornickel's strategy to expand renewable energy sources in the region. This project is integral to the Company’s environmental strategy, aimed at reducing emissions from its combined heat and power plants and increasing clean energy production.

Sergey Lipin, General Director of Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company (NTEC), Nornickel’s energy subsidiary, commented:
“It became necessary to reinforce the dam and repair its anti-seepage element. The project's two key elements are the installation of a downstream berm, which is already complete, and the restoration of the anti-seepage screen using secant pile technology. Our teams have completed the main scope of work ahead of schedule.”

Alexander Astapov, Director of the Kureyskaya HPP, added:
“The active phase of the project is nearing completion. On the right-bank dam, only 10 out of 500 piles are left to be drilled, and the riverbed dam, requiring 1,000 piles, is fully complete. The next stage involves commissioning the control and instrumentation systems, with the project set to be finalised next year. This will allow the plant to achieve its design performance indicators, improve its reliability within the energy system, and bolster our confidence in the future.”

This project follows the modernisation of Nornickel’s other HPP. In October 2021, the Company completed a large-scale upgrade of the Ust-Khantayskaya HPP, which involved replacing all seven of its hydraulic units and increasing the plant's capacity to 511 MW. Total investment in that project amounted to RUB 7.5 billion.

Nornickel upgrades Kureyskaya HPP to enhance power supply stability and reliability