NORILSK, July 17. /TASS/. The Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) built up cooperation with the Krasnoyarsk Region's businesses from 21 billion rubles ($232 million) in 2021 to 50 billion rubles ($553 million) forecasted for 2023, said the company's Senior Vice President leading the Norilsk Division Nikolay Utkin.

"We have gone in that direction, in substituting the import," he said. "Here we must pay tribute and express gratitude: <...> the regional enterprises have helped us a lot. We used to be cautious about these analogues. But in terms of quality and reliability, they are in no way inferior [to foreign products]. <...> While in 2021, the cooperation with regional businesses amounted to 21 billion rubles a year, the amount for 2022 and the forecasted amount for 2023 is more than 50 billion rubles."

"Despite the difficult time, the company has not dropped any of its investment projects", he continued, adding the company planned to launch in 2023 the Sulfur Project's first stage.

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who was in Norilsk on a working visit, stressed the Russian government saw as one of its priorities ensuring a prosperous life for people living in that polar city. "The implementation of a comprehensive plan for Norilsk's social and economic development until 2035 is underway. The plan, approved by the Russian government, includes the renovation of the housing stock, the upgrade of housing infrastructures and the development of the social sphere," the Russian government's release quoted the deputy prime minister as saying.

The Krasnoyarsk Region's Acting Governor Mikhail Kotyukov stressed the practices developing in Norilsk renovation would be of demand both in the region and across the country.

The Sulfur Program is a project for utilization of sulfur dioxide at the Nadezhdinsk Metallurgical and Copper Plants that are part of Nornickel's Polar Division. Produced sulfuric acid will be subsequently neutralized with limestone to produce gypsum. The project is planned to cut emissions in Norilsk by 45% by the end of 2023, and by 90% at the second stage (after 2025).

Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metallurgical company. Its assets are located in Russia in the Norilsk Industrial District, on the Kola Peninsula and in the Trans-Baikal Region, as well as in Finland.