BRUSSELS, April 30, 2008 (RISI) - The Krasnoyarsk regional authorities have confirmed plans to build a 900,000 bleached softwood kraft pulp (BSKP) mill in Lesosibirsk, the Yenisey region, eastern Russia.
The facility, Angara Paper Wood Chemical Plant, will also produce 60,000 tonnes/yr of tissue, 220,000 tonnes/yr of chemithermomechanical pulp, 320,000 tonnes/yr of coated boxboard, and 320,000 tonnes/yr of uncoated boxboard. Angara Paper will invest Rouble 30.7 billion ($1.3 billion) into the project. The mill is slated to start up in 2011.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Industry and Energy of Russia included the Angara Paper project into the list of priority investment projects in the field of forests' exploitation. Among other preferences, a priority status implies a lease agreement of forest land without auction, which will enable the mill to utilize 5 million m3/yr of wood for its pulp production. The investor hopes to sell its pulp in China, Europe, southeastern Asia and the USA.
The Krasnoyarsk local authorities have also announced that construction of Boguchanskiy Pulp and Paper Mill in Yarki, the Boguchansk region, is scheduled to start toward the end of May. The project will include a 730,000 tonne/yr BSKP mill, a 350,000 m3/yr sawmill, a wood-based panel plant and a kraftliner PM. The sawmill is scheduled to come online in 2009, while the startups of the pulp and paper mill and the wood-based panel plant are due in 2011. The total cost of the project will reach Rouble 72 billion ($3 billion). Vneshekonombank of Russia will provide the financial support for the scheme.
The projects in Lesosibirsk and Yarki are part of the regional development program of the Lower Angara region for 2006-2015. According to the regional authorities, investments in building transport infrastructure and developing the natural resources potential in the area will reach a total of Rouble 223 billion.
