On 10 March 2021, JSC NTEK (Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company, a Nornickel subsidiary) made 146.2 billion roubles’ worth of necessary payments for damage caused to the environment as a result of a diesel spill last year at Norilsk’s Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHPP), situated in the Kayerkan neighbourhood of the city.
Nornickel advised that in May 29, 2020, accidental damage to a diesel fuel storage tank resulted in a leak of fuel at CHPP-3. The accident was caused by a sudden sinking of supporting posts in the basement of the storage tank.
Following the incident, emergency teams from Nornickel’s Polar Division and NTEC quickly arrived to site to start clean up works.
A regional emergency situation was declared in the city of Norilsk and Taymir region and an emergency response team was established, chaired by the city mayor of Norilsk.
Norilsk Nickel’s NTEC and the government’s environmental agency (Rosprirodnadzor) organised joint aerial inspections of the water bodies of the Norilo-Pyasinsky water system to search for possible diesel contamination occurrences.
To deal with oil spills in water, a special team from the Sea Rescue Service (a special unit of the Ministry of Transportation) from the city of Murmansk was brought over.
As at June 3, 2020, it was estimated that 262 tonnes of diesel fuel had been collected near CHHP-3, a total of 800 cubic metres of contaminated soil had been removed and approximately 80 tonnes of fuel had been collected from the spill to Ambarnaya river.
Further information on Nornickel’s clean up efforts to date can be found here.
On March 10, 2021, JSC NTEK made 146.2 billion roubles’ worth of necessary payments for damage caused to the environment as a result of the devastating diesel spill in May 2020. Nornickel provided the funds for its subsidiary’s payment.
Compensation for damage to local bodies of water amounted to 145,492,562,907.96 roubles, paid into the federal budget. Compensation for damage to soil amounted to 684,904,320 roubles, paid to Norilsk’s municipal government.
The payment was made in accordance with a 12 February 2021 judgement by Krasnoyarsk’s Arbitration Court.
