04.12.2024 | Aluminium Association

On November 28, Moskabelmet Group hosted a meeting of the Energy sector of the Aluminium Association, attended by leading cable companies of the aluminium industry and the Rosseti PJSC power engineering holding. Participants of the event discussed current trends in the use of aluminium in the energy sector, stimulating demand for cable products made of innovative 8xxx-series alloys, state support measures for manufacturers of cable and wire products, harmonisation of standards and technical regulations, as well as the development of network infrastructure in Russia.

Irina Kazovskaya, Chair of the Russian Aluminium Association, and Pavel Moryakov, CEO of Moskabelmet Group and Head of the Energy sector of the Aluminium Association, made welcoming speeches, highlighting the great prospects for the use of aluminium solutions in the Russian cable industry. The energy industry is one of the key consumers of aluminium in Russia, accounting for 16% of the total volume of aluminium processing. At the same time, global aluminium consumption in the energy sector (outside of China) is 14%. However, the potential for aluminium alloy cable and wire products consumption within the country is much higher. This is due to the development of electric transport and its infrastructure, the need to renovate the infrastructure, the implementation of national projects (HSR, BAM, Trans-Siberian Railway, etc.), as well as the development of generation in neighbouring countries. By 2035, the installed capacity of power plants in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan will increase to 90.2+ GW from the current 41.2, more than doubling.

One of the drivers of aluminium consumption in the energy industry is construction–over 25 million square metres of housing are designed using cables made of 8xxx-series alloys. Thus, the share of developers using innovative cables (49%) is already comparable to those who use copper analogues. Among them, the leading consumers are Samolet (23%) and PIK (19%). At the same time, the geography of aluminium use by key developers is expanding–this year, new projects are being implemented for the first time in the south of our country.

The potential of the energy industry is also confirmed by Rosseti PJSC, one of the world's largest electric grid companies. According to Dmitry Skripalshchikov, Head of the Prospective Development of Electric Grid Infrastructure Department of the Technological Connection and Infrastructure Development Department of Rosseti PJSC, according to the company's forecast, energy development ratio in Russia may reach 2.1% by 2030, which will be a consequence of the development of the unified energy system and the construction of more than 118 thousand kilometres of power transmission lines. The primary focus in developing energy infrastructure should be on Russian-made equipment, technologies and materials.

The Aluminium Association, together with its partners, conducts a major amount of R&D and updates regulatory and technical documentation, as a result of which innovative products are introduced to the cable market. For example, heat-resistant non-insulated wires made with aluminium-zirconium alloys — their production has been fully mastered by Russian companies. Research and development is underway to expand the use of aluminium in cable products, including in electric arc welding and oil-resistant cables.

Much attention is paid to the development of the B2C segment, where one of the important areas is the popularisation of aluminium solutions among consumers. For this purpose, the Aluminium Association launched a number of internet projects in 2024. One is an aluminium solutions catalogue, showcasing advanced domestic aluminium products for all industries—'Aluminium Space'(aluspace.info). Another example is a project in the energy sector regarding the benefits of new aluminium alloys and guidelines for simultaneously handling aluminium and copper—aluminiumcable.ru.

'Aluminium Association member cable companies offer innovative products for all industries. Cables made of 8xxx-series alloys have already found application in construction and proved their safety and high quality, as well as significant savings in project implementation, as the final cost of the project is reduced by up to 40% while maintaining safety and comparable quality of products with analogues,' said Irina Kazovskaya.

The event was attended by representatives of the Aluminium Association, Moskabelmet Group, Ludinovokabel JSC, Kama Cable JSC, Uncomtech CJSC, Saranskkabel LLC, UC Rusal, Rosseti PJSC, LexGuard LLC, VNIIKP and others.