The General Director of Rosseti PJSC, Oleg Budargin, spoke at the plenary session of the Russian Energy Forum, which recently took place in Ufa.

Taking part in the event were RF Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Republic of Bashkortostan Head Rustem Khamitov. The discussion was moderated by the President of the “Skolkovo” Moscow School of Management, Andrei Sharonov.

Oleg Budargin noted that the launch of innovative solutions is the key to the successful operation of the power-grid complex – particularly against the backdrop of financial-and-economic restrictions, stressing that the process must include the involvement of consumers, who thereby become active parts of the system and express their interest in improving its overall efficiency.

“Smart meters are the foundation of the “smart” grids that must form the basis of engineering the architecture of the energy system of the future, and Rosseti is already busy pursuing pilot projects whose positive early results confirm the correctness of the course we’ve charted,” asserted the Rosseti chief.

According to Budargin, it is precisely cutting-edge technologies that will make it possible to achieve impressive production and financial-economic results: just a 1% reduction in the rate of energy loss yields a savings of RUB 15 bln, which can then be reinvested in the development of Smart Grid technologies in Russia.

Oleg Budargin touched separately on issues of the transborder integration of energy systems, noting that innovative advancements and their widespread implementation will make it possible to provide for the added reliability and improved performance of the grid complexes of different countries.

While at the Russian Energy Forum, the Rosseti General Director also took part in the 50^th anniversary session of the CIS Energy Council, whose Executive Committee conferred upon him the honorary title of “Distinguished Energy Worker of the CIS” for his “outstanding contribution to the advancement of integration processes among the energy systems of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States.”