The main economic event of spring

On April 24, the main economic event of spring will take place in Chelyabinsk. The city will host the VII Annual Financial Forum "New Opportunities for Business Development". The event is co-organized by the Urals Small Energy Association, which will hold a discussion platform "Creation of energy-supported territories - for the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the Chelyabinsk region" as part of the forum.

The Urals Small Energy Association announced a pilot project to create special energy-supplied territories around Chelyabinsk back in December 2012 at the Annual Energy Forum. Four months later, construction of the first such site - near the village of Mirny - has already begun. In a year's time, a modern power center will appear there, which will be able to provide cheap electricity to small and medium-sized businesses in the region.

The location is favorable from several points of view. Firstly, the cost of land there is significantly lower than in the city limits, secondly, a ring road passes through the territory, which will help solve logistics issues, and thirdly, there is a gas pipeline nearby, i.e. there is always fuel available for the energy centers of the territory.

About 40 million rubles will be invested in the first stage of the project, and then, as it is supposed, European investors will provide the financial support. The companies that will "settle" at the site will also take part in the financing. Potential users of energy resources are representatives of small and medium-sized businesses in the region. To date, several enterprises of the Chelyabinsk Region have already announced their desire to enter the new site in Mirny. Applications continue to come in.

All the details of the project to create energy-supplied territories, mechanisms for attracting investments and credit resources, key factors and payback conditions will be discussed at the discussion platform within the framework of the VII Annual Financial Forum. The round table will be attended by the Urals Small Energy Association, representatives of the banking sector and representatives of small and medium-sized businesses in the region.

Participation in the discussion platform will allow not only to get acquainted with the project in detail, but also to learn about preferential programs of Chelyabinsk banks aimed at supporting small and medium-sized businesses aimed at participation in the project, as well as to learn from the successful experience of expert practitioners in the implementation of in-house generation at the enterprise.