Bratsk Aluminium Smelter (BrAZ)

The smelter’s first production facilities were commissioned in 1966. In 2008, BrAZ became the world’s first aluminium smelter to exceed the 1 mtpa output threshold, and has produced a total of over 40 mt of aluminium during its service.

Bratsk HPP is the power supplier for BrAZ.

BrAZ produces primary aluminium and alloys. The smelter continuously widens its range of alloys and manufactures consumer specific products. The smelter is undergoing a large-scale environmental modernisation program, including converting to the Eco-Søderberg technology and implementing highly efficient gas treatment plants to reduce its environmental footprint.

At Bratsk Aluminium Smelter, reduction cells are being retrofitted in four potrooms (with 66 reduction cells retrofitted in 2018): over 10% of the smelter’s reduction cells have been converted to use the new technology and modern gas scrubbers have been installed on three potlines.

The Bratsk branch began pouring preheated cast iron into cathode bottom blocks of all pots being rebuilt in order to reduce the voltage drop on the steel bar-bottom block contact connection by 35 mV and minimise power consumption by 117.3 kWh/t of aluminium.

Development plan

Further implementation of the environmental modernisation program: replacing the existing gas treatment plants with wet scrubbing technology; equipping the electrolysis cells with automated alumina point feeders; completing reconstruction of the mud storage; completing conversion to the Eco-Søderberg technology.