May 20 was the final day of the Energetika & Elektrotechnika Exhibition 2016, one of Russia's leading trade exhibitions, as well as of the Russian International Energy Forum. 
The 23rd International Trade Energetika & Elektrotechnika Exhibition brought together over 250 companies, including equipment manufacturers and suppliers and service providers from the energy sector. The exhibition featured various types of power supply equipment, the latest measuring systems and software, as well as ready-made solutions for several industries, transport, construction, and the housing sectors.
Industry experts acknowledge that at the moment, the Energetika & Elektrotechnika Exhibition is the leading exhibition of its kind in Russia. Every year, the topmost players in the domestic and foreign markets unveil state-of-the-art innovative technology for fuel and energy enterprises, along with new electronic equipment for buyers across the entire economy. This year was no exception.
The grand opening of the two high-profile events was attended by a number ofhonoured guests. “Even though the expo has already become a regular occurrence, this year's event is special,” said Andrey Bondarchuk, chairman of the St Petersburg Committee for Energy and Engineering.
In turn,Karel Kühnl, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Russia, added, “Despite all the challenges that we face today, Czech companies retain an eager interest towards the Russian market, and Energetika & Elektrotechnika Exhibition continues to lead the industry's exhibition sector.”
“Energy and electronics are an essential part of the Russian economy. And today, we put the greatest emphasis on enhancing the production of equipment for the energy sector,” said Mikhail Lobin, Director General and First Vice-President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, during his welcoming address to the exhibition's participants and visitors.
According to established tradition, the exhibition welcomed official representatives of authorities and the top managers of leading industrial enterprises, including Denis Fedorov, CEO of Gazprom Energoholding LLC; Yury Rymashevsky, deputy director of the Eurasian Economic Commission Energy Department; Igor Mironov, chairman of the Council of Power Producers; Dominique Fache, chairman of the RTF Board of Directors; Alexander Dyuzhinov, acting CEO of the Federal Testing Centre; and others.
The core of the exhibition was made out of contributions by its regulars – that is, Russia's top energy and electronics companies, such as Gazprom Energoholding, Gazneftetorg, Cable Alliance Holding, Leningrad Electronics and Mechanics Plant (LEMZ), Nevskii Transformatornyi Zavod “Volkhov” LLC, Cascade R&D Company, OSTEC Systems, Sverdlovsk Works of Current Transformers, Sevcable, Spetskabel, Tomsk Cable Plant, Elektroavtomat, Elektropribor, Energomera electrical engineering plants, ELIZ, and EMA.
Despite the sanctions against Russia, Energetika & Elektrotechnika Exhibition is, and will always be, an international project!
As many as 20 percent of the exhibitors represented various foreign countries, such as Belarus, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Luxembourg, Poland, the United States, Finland, and the Czech Republic. Foreign guests included global leaders of the energy sector: Klinkmann (Finland), KEMONT (Kazakhstan), MEKA (Finland), Minsk Electrotechnical Plant named after V.I. Kozlov (Belarus), Honeywell (USA), HELUKABEL, Degson (China), Raisecom (China), Phoenix Contact (Germany), and WAGO Kontakttechnik (Germany).
Over the past decade, the United National Pavilion of the Czech Republic has been a true asset of the exhibition. Czech companies traditionally view Energetika & Elektrotechnika Exhibition as an excellent chance to meet with prospective partners and clients from Russia. During the latest exhibition, the Czech National Pavilion (organized by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade) showcased the achievements of nine sector leaders: ATAS elektromotory Náchod, KMB systems, KOPOS KOLÍN, OEZ, ZEZ SILKO, Kabelovna Kabex, EXMONT-Energo, COMET System, VYRTYCH, as well as the Electrical and Electronic Association of the Czech Republic and CzechTrade Promotion Agency.
For the first time n the expo's history, it welcomed several companies from Italy (Cembre, LAMPAR Srl. and LOVATO Electric), the Netherlands (Giovenzana International), China Degson and Raisecom), Indonesia(PT. Selatan Jadi Jaya), Poland (TRAFTA SP. Z O.O.), Luxembourg KEHL Maschinenbau AB).
The expo's traditional regulars ncluded companies from the CIS nations: Belarus (Belenergoremnaladka, Belenergosetproekt) and Kazakhstan (KEMONT).
The event's hosts had much in store for the participants and guests!
The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, together with Electrical and Electronic Association, prepared a fascinating workshop and a large-scale presentation of the latest breakthroughs in the Czech electrical engineering industry. The Czech companies treated the exacting sector leaders to a stunningly broad range of innovative products and solutions for the fuel and energy complex. 
In turn, the Russian International Energy Forum was dedicated to the most pressing issues of power plant engineering, as well as to future cooperation within the EEU, and the support of Russian export in the heat and power engineering sector.
And, as always, the Energetika & Elektrotechnika Expo marked the culmination of the International Contest of scientific and innovative projects contributing to the development of the fuel and energy and mining industries, as well as the Path of Innovation National Cross-Industry Award Ceremony.
Some figures:
In 2016, the expo was attended by approximately 9,000 experts from 13 countries, representing the leading enterprises in the energy industry and closely related sectors, as well as the providers of equipment, products, and services for thermal and water power plants, heat supply systems, and other energy distribution systems.
Over 250 companies participated in the exhibition, including many Russian enterprises and companies from 11 foreign countries: Belarus, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Luxembourg, Poland, the United States, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
The Conference Programme of the Exhibition was attended by more than 1000 fuel and energy experts and featured over 100 speeches by industry leaders, corporate management, and representatives of various professional communities. 
The next, 24th Energetika & Elektrotechnika 2017 Exhibition, will take place in St. Petersburg from 25 April to 28 April, 2017.
Organised by RESTEC® Exhibition Company in cooperation with ExpoForum International.
To learn more about the expo, visit:
www.energetika-restec.ru