‘Energy for People’: Roughly 123,000 Guests Attend Energy Day at International RUSSIA EXPO

Energy Day was held during the international RUSSIA EXPO with the slogan ‘Energy for People’. As part of the business programme, experts spoke about the past, present, and future of Russian energy, and discussed ways to further develop the fuel and energy industry. A variety of educational, cultural, sports, and gastronomic events were organized for more than 123,000 guests and participants.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak pointed out the importance of the energy industry and the general public’s keen interest in the energy sector. “Energy Day at the international RUSSIA EXPO brought together industry professionals and numerous young people and families who are interested in our country’s achievements in this regard. The extensive multi-format programme attracted great attention from the guests and participants of the exhibition and forum. Participating in preparations for and holding Energy Day enabled leading companies in the fuel and energy industry to present their latest developments to a wide audience, which our entire country can be proud of. We were once again able to see for ourselves the unity of representatives of the industry and its technological leadership.”

Energy Day kicked off with a speech by Russian Minister of Energy Nikolay Shulginov, who presented state and agency awards to representatives of the fuel and energy industry for their contribution to its development. “The Russian fuel and energy industry is demonstrating success on the world stage and is one of the leaders in all areas – oil, gas, coal, and electricity production. Our industries operate sustainably, and we would like to show off how we have worked for the last 20 years and what successes we have achieved,” Shulginov said in his opening address. In addition, the Energy Day opening ceremony included the launch of three modernized power units at the Gusinoozerskaya, Kostromskaya, and Permskaya state district power plants with a total capacity of 1,390 MW. Shulginov gave the command to start up the power units via a video link.

The Energy Day programme continued with an event dedicated to the presentation of the ‘Protecting the Victory Flame’ project and the 80th anniversary of the complete lifting of the siege of Leningrad and the liberation of the Leningrad Region. The presentation featured a live broadcast from the site where the first new Eternal Flame was lit in 2024 and the ‘Protecting the Victory Flame’ resource (вечныйогонь.рус), where it can be viewed in real time. The resource brings together all memorials with Eternal Flames and Flames of Memory on an interactive map.

The central event of the Energy Day business programme was the plenary session ‘Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry: New Opportunities for Development’, where, with Novak’s participation, industry experts held an open discussion about the priorities for the development of the Russian fuel and energy industry, the achievements of recent years, and development opportunities in each sector of the fuel and energy industry. The session was also attended by Gazprom Management Board Deputy Chairman and Department Head Oleg Aksyutin, Gazprom Mezhregiongaz General Director Sergey Gustov, Gazprom Neft General Director Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Mining Industry Commission of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Vladimir Rashevsky, Rosatom State Corporation General Director Alexey Likhachev, Inter RAO Chairman of the Management Board Boris Kovalchuk, Rosseti General Director and Chairman of the Management Board Andrey Ryumin, Unigreen Energy General Director Igor Shakhray, Sibur Chairman of the Management Board and General Director Mikhail Karisalov, and RN-Vankor General Director Vladimir Chernov, who spoke about the key role the fuel and energy industry plays in the growth of the Russian economy and improving people’s quality of life. The session was moderated by Global Energy Association President Sergey Brilyov.

The Energy Day business programme continued with the expert panels ‘Electric Power Industry: A Driver of Economic Growth’ and ‘New Strategies for the Oil and Gas Industry’, which were attended by representatives of the Russian Ministry of Energy and leading companies in the Russian fuel and energy industry.

During the plenary session, Rosatom State Corporation General Director Alexey Likhachev noted that the nuclear industry in Russia has three points of support today: the nuclear weapons industry, nuclear energy, as well as various projects and programmes concerning technological sovereignty. “The nuclear industry is one of the youngest on the planet. This year, we will celebrate 70 years of nuclear energy – on the day when the USSR launched its first nuclear power plant in Obninsk. Today, every fifth light bulb in our country is lit thanks to a nuclear power plant. We are the leaders on the global market, we build all over the world, and we are champions in uranium enrichment and leaders in terms of its reserves and production. And all our nuclear technologies are sovereign. We continue to develop nuclear technologies and are leaders in their export,” Likhachev said.

The Energy Day programme continued in the Atom Pavilion, where nuclear industry workers who are celebrating their golden or silver wedding anniversary this year were honoured. A total of 55 couples from all over Russia celebrated their 25th and 50th anniversaries in a celebratory atmosphere. Likhachev and Novak congratulated them on their milestone anniversaries.

In addition, during the business programme in the Oil Pavilion, which tells the story of the development of the domestic fuel and energy industry, People’s Artist of Russia Nikas Safronov held a master class that was also attended by Novak, who spoke with children and young specialists from Lukoil enterprises in the Moscow region.

Throughout Energy Day, guests were treated to sports, entertainment, cultural, and gastronomic programmes. The ‘Get Charged Up’ Energy and Sports Festival was held with sports and figure skating stars. Energy Day concluded with a festive concert that was attended by all the guests at the event.

Energy Day was organized by the Russian government, the Ministry of Energy, and the Russia Directorate of the Exhibition of Achievements. The event was managed by the Roscongress Foundation.

The general partner was Rosseti.

The official partner was Inter RAO – Electric Power Plants.

The partner was Promsyreimport.

The organizing partner was Elga Management Company.