The Ministry of Industry and Trade announced a phased shutdown of the Vestas plant for the production of windmills in Ulyanovsk

The production of blades at the Vestas Manufacturing Rus plant in Ulyanovsk is planned to be phased out before the end of the year, and the plant is to be mothballed. This was reported Interfax with reference to the data of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia. A Kommersant source notes that the plant has not been operating for a long time, all its employees have been fired.

The department’s response to the news agency noted that “until the end of 2022, a phased shutdown of production is planned, followed by conservation of the plant and payment of compensation to personnel,” while the stoppage of production should not affect the projects of FRV Wind Farms (structures of the Finnish company Fortum), “obligations to them for the production of blades for four wind farms this year is planned to be completed. The Ministry of Industry and Trade also replied that “the issue of preserving the production site is being worked out”, “to date, a number of organizations have indicated an interest in acquiring the plant.”

Danish Vestas in early April announced about leaving Russia. At the beginning of July, Fortum represented by First Wind Farm LLC applied to the arbitration court with a claim against Vestas Rus “on securing property interests” in the amount of 87 million rubles. in connection with Vestas’s statement about leaving and terminating contracts, therefore, there is a “real threat of export of the contractor’s property from the territory of the Russian Federation.” On July 11, a writ of execution was issued, but already on July 25, the court decided to cancel the interim measures, referring to the statement of the plaintiff, who noted that the interim measures became “an effective incentive for the peaceful resolution of the dispute.”

The Ulyanovsk Region Development Corporation (JSC, engaged in attracting investments) declined to comment on Vestas Manufacturing Rus. Meanwhile, a Kommersant source who is well acquainted with the situation noted that the plant for the production of blades was closed and mothballed “for a long time, since the end of July”, “all employees have been fired.” According to the interlocutor, after the announcement of the Danish company about the withdrawal of Vestas and the Russian structures of the Finnish Fortum “strongly quarreled” because of the threat of default on the supply of blades and wind turbines, “then they sort of decided to return to negotiations, but in the end they did not agree.” “Vestas behaves extremely aggressively,” the source added. He is also not sure that someone will be able to buy out the enterprise, since “Vestas does not want to sell anything to anyone.”

At the same time, both Fortum wind farms in Ulyanovsk continue to operate, the source explained.

Sergey Titov, Ulyanovsk