The public discussions on the environmental impact assessment for the reconstruction of the second phase of the Nizhny Novgorod aeration station have concluded.

      The Joint Utility Operator JSC, together with the administration of the city of Nizhny Novgorod, held public discussions from December 1 to December 31, 2025, as part of the state ecological expertise of the project documentation "Reconstruction of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station - Phase II," which includes preliminary materials for the environmental impact assessment. This is one of the key stages necessary for passing the ecological expertise in preparation for the second phase of the reconstruction of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the Nizhny Novgorod region. During the public discussions, which took place in absentia throughout December, no questions were raised regarding the project solutions for the environmental impact assessment during the reconstruction of the second phase of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station. One of the environmental organizations raised three questions regarding the technology for handling sludge, the possibility of composting it, and the requirements for wastewater treatment. Explanations were provided for all questions. In particular, the reconstruction of the treatment facilities is expected to involve the use of technology for drying wastewater sludge (WWS) to a moisture content of 8-10%. The project includes a two-stage dewatering and thermal drying cycle for sludge treatment, which allows for a 96% reduction in mass and eliminates the need for composting technology, even enabling the use of dried sludge in the construction industry. As for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) concerning the quality of wastewater, the project solutions for both phases of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station reconstruction have been developed using the best available technologies and will achieve high technological indicators in wastewater treatment after the complete reconstruction of the station. The protocol summarizing the public discussions was signed on January 16, 2026, and attached to the other documentation required for passing the ecological expertise, which is expected to be completed in the first half of the current year. It should be noted that the reconstruction of the first phase of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station was completed in December 2025. Currently, the technological launch of the facilities has been carried out, and the commissioning of biological processes is ongoing. For reference: the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station is the largest wastewater treatment facility in the Nizhny Novgorod region, with an average daily inflow of wastewater ranging from 490 to 790 thousand cubic meters. For the first time since the station was built in 1974, a large-scale modernization is being carried out. The work started in 2022, is divided into phases, and is being conducted without stopping the acceptance of wastewater. The first phase of reconstruction, which included 50 facilities, has now been completed. Design work is also underway for the second phase of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station reconstruction, which will include 61 facilities. Federal funding for the second phase of reconstruction has been preliminarily approved.