On 19 August 2026, the Interregional Directorate of Rosprirodnadzor for Nizhny Novgorod Region and the Republic of Mordovia conducted an unscheduled inspection at the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station (NSA) and found violations of environmental legislation by the general contractor for the second stage of reconstruction — OOO SoyuzDonStroy.[1][3]

Course of the inspection

The inspection was aimed at checking whether the construction work complied with environmental legislation and with the positive conclusion of the state environmental review.[3] Inspectors examined environmental documentation, inspected the construction site and the areas used for temporary waste storage.[1]

The inspection recorded violations in two areas: air quality protection and waste management. In particular, the contractor failed to submit a list of measures for reducing pollutant emissions during periods of adverse meteorological conditions, as well as documents confirming that such measures had been carried out.[1][5] In addition, accumulations of wood waste, broken concrete and scrap metal were found on the station's grounds.[4]

Consequences and the contractor's response

Administrative liability rulings were planned against OOO SoyuzDonStroy and the officials responsible. The company was issued an order to eliminate all violations; compliance with the order remains under Rosprirodnadzor's oversight.[3][6]

SoyuzDonStroy stated that some of the issues had been resolved during the inspection itself. Regarding the missing emissions-reduction action plan, the contractor explained that the document had already been prepared and submitted for approval to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Nizhny Novgorod Region. As for the accumulated waste, the company explained it by the progress of the construction work, stressing that it is stored at specially equipped sites in accordance with legally established timeframes; written warnings about the inadmissibility of violations were sent to subcontractors. The company also stated that the identified issues would not affect the reconstruction schedule.[4]

Context

The second stage of the NSA reconstruction began in early July 2026. The project provides for the reconstruction and construction of a total of 61 facilities, including seven aeration tanks, ten settling tanks, blower and pumping station buildings, as well as two new ultraviolet disinfection stations and a sludge treatment building. The cost of the work is estimated at approximately 20 billion rubles; completion is scheduled for 2030.[1][6] The project is focused on the application of the best available technologies, after which the treated wastewater must meet regulatory standards before Volga (disambiguation).[3]

The August 2026 inspection was already the second since the start of the second reconstruction stage: in July, Rosprirodnadzor found that some of the violations previously identified at the facility had still not been eliminated despite the order issued; AO OKO disagreed with the results of that inspection.[1]

Sources

  1. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — New violations found at the general contractor of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station (archive)
  2. Vremya N — Rosprirodnadzor inspected reconstruction works at the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station (archive)
  3. Newsroom24 — Rosprirodnadzor found violations during the reconstruction of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station (archive)
  4. Newsroom24 — Violations at the aeration station will not affect the reconstruction schedule (archive)
  5. GIPERNN — Violations found during the reconstruction of the Nizhny Novgorod Aeration Station (archive)
  6. NN.RU — Rosprirodnadzor found violations at the aeration station in Nizhny Novgorod — August 19…