Coal Power
North Ossetia’s toxic choice
Residents of North Ossetia’s capital Vladikavkaz have long sounded the alarm at the environmental condition of their city. Many blame Electrozinc, a metallurgical plant located inside the city. But there is another side of the coin, and for the factory’s 2,000 employees, their very livelihoods depend on the plant. Electrozinc is an industrial enterprise and the largest taxpayer and investor in North Ossetia. It contributed around ₽300 million ($5.4 million) to the republic’s budget in 2017.
