Deputy Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government and the region’s Minister for Industry and Science Anatoly Gredin presented his report on the state of local aluminum smelters at an anti-crisis committee meeting.

The Minister explained things were hard for Severouralsk bauxite mine (SUBR) and Bogoslovskiy and Ural smelters at the moment; their output had halved, while the produce didn’t appear to enjoy any demand. In the meantime, these enterprises employ over 10,000 local dwellers.

The regional government officials have already drawn up an agreement providing for lower electricity and heat prices for these companies, but the local energy suppliers made it clear that such an agreement could only be enforced by the federal authorities.

Governor of Sverdlovsk Region Eduard Rossel requested that an ad hoc committee be created in order to look into the problem and come up with possible solutions to it. A letter regarding the issue is to be sent to Head of the Russian Federation Government Vladimir Putin.