OREANDA-NEWS. Alexander Novak, together with First Deputy Governor of the Kemerovo region Maxim Makin and CEO of JSC "SUEK" Vladimir Rashevsky, began his trip around Kuzbass by visiting the facilities of SUEK-Kuzbass.

The Minister visited a single control-analytical center (SCAC). CEO of OJSC "SUEK-Kuzbass" Evgeny Yutyaev introduced the SCAS principles to the Minister, which by its scale, technical and technological equipment has no analogues either in Russia or abroad. He informed, that all data from mines and open-pits of the company go to a central control room of SUEK-Kuzbass and SUEK's head office at the same time. Multi-level control allows reliability and accuracy while monitoring the situation in underground outputs, thus minimizing the so-called "human factor".

The entire process of coal mining from the open-pit bench to the loading of wagons is under control. It was noted that digital technologies are used more often in the coal mining industry now. As an example, Vladimir Rashevsky the CEO of JSC "SUEK" cited the recent launch of a unique lava at the "Polysaevskaya"' mine that allows unmanned mining. Asked by journalists whether the Minister shares the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of SUEK Andrey Melnichenko that coal for a long time will play a key role in the global energy balance, Alexander Novak agreed with the forecast. He also stressed that the development of the industry is directly related to the introduction of new, effective and safer technologies of coal mining and processing.

Alexander Novak also visited Belovskaya GRES (part of the Siberian Generating Company, SGK).

Particular attention was paid to the new equipment - power units №4 and №6, which were put into operation in 2014. After reconstruction the installed electric capacity of Belovskaya GRES increased by 40 MW to 1240 MW. According to capacity, this is the second power plant of the Kemerovo region that provides almost a third of all electricity generated in the Kuzbass. Alexander Novak also participated in the regional ceremonial meeting in honor of the Miner's Day. The Minister congratulated the workers of the coal industry and all people of Kuzbass with the Miner's Day: "Historically, Kuzbass is the heart of the coal industry in Russia where more than half of all Russian coal is produced. In coking coal, this figure is closer to 75%. Kuzbass also holds a leading position in Russian coal export, the region's share is also about 75%".

A. Novak emphasized that, despite the difficult situation in the economy, the volume of coal production in Russia last year amounted to more than 358 million tonnes: "This is the best indicator for the entire post-Soviet period. The industry has several production records, and new technologies are being implemented. It is important that this year's coal production is not reduced, on the contrary, it is growing even faster". The Minister explained that the successful development of the industry is driven by the need to solve questions of safety, coal supply to the domestic market and to raise the prestige of miners' work among youth: "To solve these problems еру "Long-term program of development of the coal industry in Russia for the period to 2030" has been developed. This program covers the modernization of production, the expansion of the resource base, the establishment of new centers of coal mining, coal and energy clusters, and improving mine safety".