Ammonia-2 pulling peaceful atom along
A nuclear power plant for hydrogen production will be built in Alabuga-Mendeleyevsk Special Economic Zone that will supply Ammonia-2 with raw materials
“It is no secret that we have been interacting with Rosenergoatom for a year and a half. There are certain agreements related to a large investment project for hydrogen production, the first in the country,” head of Mendeleyevsky District Radmir Belyayev revealed important details of the concept for the construction of a new petrochemical complex. Apparently, Rosenergoatom and Ammonia (part of Roman Trotsenko’s Azot Group of Companies) agreed on the joint implementation of a project where the nuclear power plant will have to supply hydrogen to expand fertiliser production. Total investments will grow to 460 billion rubles. Read more details about it in a report of Realnoe Vremya.
Rosenergoatom joining Ammonia?
Next May, the construction of a new special economic zone (SEZ) — Alabuga-Mendeleyevsk — will begin in Mendeleyevsk, and Ammonia and Rosenergoatom will possibly be its anchor residents. The former has planned to create a modern complex for the production of ammonia and urea for 160 billion rubles, and the latter is negotiating the installation of a nuclear power plant. It is necessary for the economical production of hydrogen as a raw material for the production of mineral fertilisers. Potential investments by Rosenergoatom are estimated at 300 billion rubles. As a result, Mendeleyevsk will attract record investments. This became known on 2 August during Municipal Hour meeting in the Investment Development Agency of the Republic of Tatarstan where head of Mendeleyevsk District Radmir Belyayev reported on investment attractiveness.
“We are often asked why Alabuga goes to other regions to manage a special economic zone but does not implement projects in our municipalities,” head of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency Taliya Minullina asked rhetorical questions.
And she herself answered the mysterious ill-wishers who are dissatisfied with the expansion of Alabuga SEZ to other regions of the Russian Federation. “Now the projects of Alabuga-Mendeleyevsk SEZ as well as the Ethylene-600 industrial park in Nizhnekamsk will give a very good impetus to the development of entrepreneurship and the competencies of the Alabuga team,” said Minullina.
Geographically, the projects are located in different municipalities, but technologically, they can be interconnected. Rosenergoatom can become a key link in Tatarstan petrochemistry.
Next May, the construction of a new special economic zone (SEZ) — Alabuga-Mendeleyevsk — will begin in Mendeleyevsk, and Ammonia and Rosenergoatom will possibly be its anchor residents.
According to him, Rosenergoatom concern can invest 300 billion rubles but did not specify the exact dates.
Alabuga-Mendeleyevsk SEZ will occupy an area of 900 hectares.
“The creation of a special economic zone in its classic format, not for a chemical plant or infrastructure, is a very serious leap forward,” the head of Mendeleyevsk District noted.
In general, investments in fixed capital from Ammonia amount to 2.3 billion rubles. The volume of shipped products in 2023 is 30 billion rubles. Mendeleyevsk is among the top 10 single-industry towns in Russia. The average salary is 72,000 rubles, which is higher than the national average (63,000).
Mendeleyevsk needs hotels and a restaurant
At the same time, two industrial parks are being created in Mendeleyevsk — the first with the involvement of funds from VEB.RF, as well as Bondyuzhsky industrial park.
Ammonia and local authorities are investing in increasing the attractiveness of the town. Thus, it is planned to build two rental houses where both the company's employees and teachers will be able to receive housing.
Mendeleyevsk has begun to attract the tourist flow. According to Taliya Minullina, the growth has a “crazy pace.” Recently, it has grown to 50,000 people. The head of the district is sure that it is necessary to increase the number of hotels, since it becomes problematic to accommodate guests during the Spasskaya Fair or the Race of Heroes, which has become popular in Zakamye.
Currently, there are 100 hotel rooms, and Izhminvody health resort with 300 rooms comes to the rescue. However, it is usually fully occupied, so guests are offered remaining free rooms. In addition, the authorities have built a beach for recreation. And the town also needs a “good restaurant,” said Radmir Belyayev. According to him, the town has good catering establishments but lacks a better eating places. Three plots of land in the city centre have already been selected, and the investor is promised some benefits. The head of the district is confident that the investment will quickly pay off, since the town is living in anticipation of an influx of large investments.