TASS, April 30. Nornickel plans to adopt a new ecology strategy in 2021, where investments will exceed $5.5 billion, the company’s white paper, a report on the fuel spill in May 2020, reads.

On April 29, the company published an annual sustainability report, which outlines the Norilsk incident’s chronology, clean-up and response, as well as various studies which the company organized after the accident, and plans for ecology and social events and internal changes.

Nornickel has drafted an ecology strategy, which the Board of Directors may adopt within 2021, the company said. According to the document, Nornickel plans investments of $3.6 billion in cutting emissions, $1.1 in preservation of water resources, $0.6 billion - in reducing damage from tailing and waste dumps, $0.3 billion - in rehabilitation of all land affected by construction and mining. Nornickel will also invest in efforts to fight climate change and preserve biological diversity (investments to be determined within 2021).

"On 29 May, 2020, a diesel fuel storage tank at HPP-3 of NTEK JSC in the Kayerkan District of Norilsk failed due to unsealing, with 21,200 tonnes of fuel flowing out of the tank, going beyond the bunding, and getting into the pit, on the adjacent area, and into the Bezymyanny Stream," Nornickel’s document reads. "Further through the Bezymyanny Stream and the Daldykan River, the spill reached the Ambarnaya River, where it was contained by protective booms, which prevented the diesel fuel from getting into Lake Pyasino."

The company was charged with damage to the environment and has paid fully the fine of 146 billion rubles ($13.4 billion).

About company

Norilsk Nickel is the world’s largest producer of refined nickel and palladium and a leading producer of platinum, cobalt, copper and rhodium. The company also produces gold, silver, iridium, selenium, ruthenium and tellurium. The company’s units are located in the Norilsk Industrial District, on the Kola Peninsula and in Chita region in Russia as well as in Finland and South Africa.