The Mykolaiv Alumina Plant is being prepared for sale, and the government has identified environmental safety as one of the main conditions for potential investors. The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture emphasized that the future owner of the enterprise must adhere to strict environmental standards.
This is reported by Finway
Ecology and Investment Appeal of the Plant
During a briefing in Mykolaiv, Deputy Minister of Economy Daryna Marchak stated that the search for an investor for the plant will take into account the environmental challenges of the facility. She stressed that environmental safety is a key issue for industrial giants like the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant and the Odesa Portside Plant.
“Environmental safety is one of the key issues for such giant enterprises as the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant or the Odesa Portside Plant. Specific obligations for investors will be defined in the privatization conditions, which are being developed by the State Property Fund, and will be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. Everything related to people and the environment will be part of the investment obligations of the potential buyer.”
According to Marchak, the privatization of the plant is planned for the end of 2026. The government has not yet approved the final conditions, but environmental safety will remain a priority regardless of external circumstances. Special attention will be paid to the plant’s sludge fields, the dust from which poses a danger to residents of nearby areas.
Military Risks and the Future of the Enterprise
The Deputy Minister also noted that the state is looking for a specialized strategic investor who can ensure the development of the enterprise, the creation of new jobs, and tax payments. Military risks, which affect the economy of the region, remain an important factor for potential investors. The ministry is currently working with international partners to develop mechanisms for insuring such risks for large industrial facilities.
The Mykolaiv Alumina Plant, one of the largest enterprises in non-ferrous metallurgy in Ukraine and Europe, has faced financial difficulties, particularly regarding the maintenance of sludge fields. In the event of power supply disruptions, these fields can pose a serious threat to the environment.
The plant has accumulated over 48 million tons of red sludge, and environmental problems periodically arise — the so-called “Martian landscape” due to the red dust that covers neighboring settlements.
The enterprise was previously owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, but was nationalized in 2025: according to a decision by the High Anti-Corruption Court, 100% of the charter capital and property of the Mykolaiv Alumina Plant passed into state ownership. The plant is now classified as a critical infrastructure facility, and the dust suppression system has been partially restored, requiring additional repairs. Production activities at the enterprise are currently suspended.