Rosseti is a strategic partner and participant of SPIEF-2025

Elena VINOGRADOVAColumnist for the magazine "Energy Policy"

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is one of the main business and socio-economic events of the year. Every year, the forum attracts over 20,000 participants from 139 countries, presents unique projects and signs about a thousand agreements, the total amount of which exceeds 6 trillion rubles. Participation in the exhibition and business program of the SPIEF was an important event for PJSC Rosseti. The company's executives spoke at sessions and concluded a number of important agreements. In addition, uninterrupted power supply was provided to the entire forum infrastructure, including the central site - the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Center in Shushary, the total area of which reaches 210,000 m2.

The importance of socio-economic tasks in the regions for Rosseti was emphasized by the signing of agreements at the SPIEF, as well as meetings between the heads of the Voronezh and Murmansk regions and Andrei Ryumin

A delegation of PJSC Rosseti, headed by CEO Andrey Ryumin, took part in the exhibition, business program, and Youth Day of SPIEF-2025. Head of the Rosseti Group Andrey Ryumin took part in a discussion at the plenary session of SPIEF on the formation of a national model of target conditions for doing business. It was noted that a lot of work had previously been done in Russia to improve the availability of energy infrastructure. This allowed our country to enter the top ten leaders of the international Doing Business rating in 2020 for the indicator "Connection to the power supply system". Rosseti continues to actively engage in this topic, including within the framework of a working group jointly with the ASI. There are many proposals that we support. For example, this concerns the optimization of technological connection procedures during the integrated development of territories, improving the procedure for issuing and extending technical specifications. We also consider it important to expand the dialogue at the interdepartmental level," said Andrey Ryumin.

At the same time, he noted that it is also necessary to resolve issues of loading and maintaining the energy infrastructure being built at the request of consumers. The active implementation of preferential mechanisms for connecting to the infrastructure since 2009 has had a significant impact on the sphere of regulation and the work of network organizations.

The speech of Alexey Molskiy, Deputy Director General for Investments and Capital Construction of PJSC Rosseti, was the key one in the panel session of the forum "Investments in the Electric Power Industry on the Horizon until 2050", which discussed the main areas of development of the energy complex and the implementation of the tasks of the Energy Strategy of Russia until 2050. In his speech, he not only spoke about the main areas of development of the grid complex, but also presented proposals for new mechanisms for financing infrastructure projects. As Alexey Molskiy noted, over several years the company has done large-scale work to ensure the power supply of the Eastern Polygon of the railways, the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean and Power of Siberia pipelines, and also launched the second circuits of the Kola-Karelian and Pechora transits. Now the implementation of new tasks of national scale is beginning, including a set of projects for the unification of the parallel synchronous operation of the energy systems of Siberia and the East, increasing the reliability of the Moscow energy system and many others. "According to preliminary estimates, the required amount of funding for these activities is 1.4 trillion rubles. Tariff decisions provide approximately half of the necessary funds. At the same time, there is an even greater task of renovating networks, especially in the distribution complex, where the load is also growing," said Alexey Molsky.

The company has put forward proposals to create new instruments for financing network projects. As Alexey Molsky said, this could be a transition to payment for electricity transmission services based on the capacity declared by the consumer, as well as an analogue of the model operating on the wholesale market to support the development of generation. The issue is currently being considered by relevant departments.

The importance of socio-economic tasks in the regions for PJSC Rosseti was emphasized by the signing of agreements at the SPIEF, as well as meetings of the heads of the Voronezh and Murmansk regions with Andrey Ryumin. The agreement with the Murmansk region provides for cooperation in consolidating electric grid assets and modernizing networks. According to the company's plans, more than 7.5 billion rubles are planned to be allocated for the modernization and development of the region's electric grids in 2025. In addition, new promising projects are being considered, including the construction of the 330 kV Arktika main substation and the reconstruction of system-forming energy facilities. The cooperation agreement with the Voronezh region provides for systemic interaction between the company and the region in the use of products manufactured by local enterprises in the Russian electric grid complex. The agreement provides for regular information exchange, organization of coordination meetings, and implementation of measures to improve the competitiveness of the Voronezh industry. Particular attention will be paid to the quality of equipment and its compliance with the requirements of the Rosseti Group. Additional roadmaps and programs aimed at import substitution and strengthening industrial cooperation may be developed within the framework of the agreement. The implementation of the agreements will contribute to the economic development of the Voronezh Region and strengthening the technological sovereignty of the energy sector. The choice of the region is not accidental. "The Voronezh Region is one of the leading industrial regions with a high level of engineering competencies. We expect that the agreement will be a step towards expanding the presence of Voronezh products in Rosseti Group projects," Andrey Ryumin emphasized following the signing. At the same time, the company will be actively engaged in the construction and modernization of the region's networks. In 2025, the Rosseti Group will allocate more than 4.7 billion rubles for these purposes. Priority tasks include the modernization of trunk network facilities, the construction of a 35 kV substation "Eman" for a new tourist complex near Voronezh and a 110 kV substation "Zadonskaya", which will supply power to consumers in the north of the region.

Practical cases

No less important for PJSC Rosseti was the signing of a cooperation agreement with State Corporation Avtodor, dedicated to issues of power supply of service facilities in the territories of multifunctional zones (MFZ). Their creation is carried out within the framework of the national projects "Infrastructure for Life" and "Tourism and Hospitality", as well as the implementation of the project "Electric Car and Hydrogen Car". These territories from 5 to 30 hectares can accommodate many service facilities. At the same time, MFZ are focused on servicing not only drivers and passengers, but also local communities in remote areas, where due to low population density it is difficult for high-quality services to develop. Currently, Rosseti is actively involved in many highway development projects, reconstructing networks in the areas of their passage, providing technological connection of new roadside facilities. "The signed agreement will reduce the time required to create transport infrastructure and provide motorists with modern services within the boundaries of multifunctional zones," said Andrey Ryumin. "To make the most of the opportunities provided by transport infrastructure, it is necessary to create a comfortable user environment. To this end, Avtodor is developing a network of multifunctional road service zones. This is a whole range of services for drivers and passengers. The signed agreement will improve the efficiency of this work," emphasized Vyacheslav Petushenko. The topic of road infrastructure development was reflected in the agreement with PJSC LUKOIL, also signed within the framework of SPIEF-2025. Within the framework of this agreement, the companies will cooperate in the field of increasing the availability of gas station infrastructure. At the SPIEF-2025 site, a new agreement on strategic cooperation in the field of information technology was signed between PJSC Rosseti and leading Russian software developers - R7, Bazalt SPO and VK Tech. Under the agreement, the companies will work to ensure compatibility of IT products and exchange experience in the implementation of Russian software applicable to the Rosseti Group. The electric grid holding will receive preferential rights to test products developed by the parties to the agreement. Another area in the IT sphere was a cooperation agreement with Rosseti's long-standing partner, Aquarius Group, aimed at supporting and developing domestic electronic products. The parties agreed to implement domestic server solutions, data storage systems, computer equipment and other electronic products, as well as relevant software at Rosseti Group facilities. The companies are interested in a long-term partnership, since the transition to Russian equipment and software is key to ensuring sustainability, control over infrastructure and compliance with national standards. This approach will reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, increase the level of cybersecurity and stimulate the development of the domestic industry in the field of high technologies.

All agreements signed during the SPIEF are of great importance for the sustainable development of the company. They strengthen ties with Russian regions and businesses, systematize and increase the efficiency of the electric grid complex, and solve important socio-economic problems both within the company and the energy industry as a whole.