The runway renovation at the Alykel airport in Norilsk will be finished by September 24, press service of the Krasnoyarsk Region’s governor said on Wednesday. Acting Governor Alexander Uss and Nornickel’s CEO Vladimir Potanin visited the airport to see how the renovation works continue there.

"The runway will be opened for airplanes from September 24," the governor’s press service said. Within the current year, 1,080 meters will be reconstructed, while over two previous years specialists renovated 1,740 meters. The airport serves all kinds of planes now. In 2017, only smaller planes, like Antonov An-24 and ATR-42, could make flights to Norilsk.

"At the beginning of this organizationally unique project, we saw fears from passengers and specialists," the press service quoted the acting governor as saying. "The task was to make complicated works within limited time, but we have managed everything fine."

In 2019, the city will renovate the terminal, the official said, adding those works would not affect the airport’s services.

The runway’s renovation at the Alykel airport began in 2016. For the time of active works, planes use the 2.5km runway, thus the airport did not have to limit serving passengers or cargo. In 2017, works continued at a passage of more than one kilometer - big planes could not land there, so the carriers were using smaller planes. The runway’s renovation continues for three summer seasons. This autumn, all works will be completed and all limitations will be lifted.

The federal budget allocates for the program 9.6 billion rubles ($137.8 million), and the Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) invests 3 billion rubles ($43 million).

Nornickel reported earlier that along with the runway’s renovation the airport began upgrading the terminal. While the runway’s renovation is due to be over in 2018, works at the terminal will continue to 2019. Anyway, the works at the terminal do not affect the provided services. In 2018, the airport’s renovation will be completed by 60%, the company said.