Alstom signed an agreement with the Skolkovo Foundation to set up the Alstom Innovation Centre in Skolkovo city, often labelled Russia's "Silicon Valley". This document was signed on July 13th by Philippe Delleur, Senior Vice President International Network of Alstom and Alexey Beltukov, Vice President Development and Planning of the Skolkovo Foundation.
This innovation centre would include in-house research activities related to power plant automation and control systems, and to smart grids. Alstom also plans to localize industrial engineering for some projects already developed in Russia by Alstom joint-ventures for rolling stock activities and for signalling systems.
Some 200 Alstom engineers and technicians could joint this new innovation centre by 2015, when large-scale construction programme of the city shall be completed to meet the Russian government requirements. The implementation of this agreement is subject to some conditions which will further be discussed between the parties and result in additional agreements.
The science and technology city in Skolkovo, to the west of Moscow, will focus on promoting new technology such as energy efficiency, nuclear power, space and telecommunications, medical and pharmaceutical equipment, and information technology.