Russia considers turbine part import ban in sanction response

RUSSIA: The Russian government is considering imposing a ban on the import of machinery parts including wind power equipment from the European Union and the United States, in a response to sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries.

by Eugene Gerden 11 August 2014

Russian government is reacting to sanctions imposed by the EU and US

As part of these plans, the government intends to tighten conditions for localisation of wind power equipment, which were earlier set at the level of 55% in 2015 and 65% for the period 2016-2020.

Sources within the Russian Ministry of Energy, who asked not to be named, said that the ban will jeopardise previously announced plans for the installation of 3.6GW of wind by 2020 – a target that already looked unrealistic.

Additionally, the government is considering providing financial assistance to the local manufacturers of turbines, especially the Vpered Moscow Machine-Building Plant, which previously produced the Skylark and Forward turbines, but suspended production in 2012.

There is a possibility that state support will also be provided in the form of public procurement of wind turbines from Russian companies.