Gazprom carrying on with projects for developing comfortable urban environment in St. Petersburg
RELEASE
Release
A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg, took place today.
It was noted at the meeting that the Company and the city maintain a constructive cooperation in a wide range of projects which make a substantial contribution to the social and economic development of St. Petersburg.
Gazprom provides reliable gas supplies to the city's consumers. To that end, for instance, the Company consistently upgrades the gas and heat supply networks. At the Central CHPP, Gazprom is building a new hot-water boiler: the core process equipment of the boiler is currently being installed. The second stage of upgrade activities is nearing completion at the Avtovskaya CHPP: modernization of one more turbo generator has been completed and the renovation of utility infrastructure is underway.
Particular attention is being paid to developing a comfortable urban environment. Extensive work has been performed under Gazprom's program for the comprehensive urban improvement of St. Petersburg. For instance, modern lighting was installed on Palace Square in 2022. In 2023, the urban improvement works at Petrovskaya Embankment and the upgrades to the lighting system at the Voskresenskaya Embankment were performed; the completion of these works was timed to mark the 320th anniversary of St. Petersburg. By the end of May, architectural lighting was provided for the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater building (65 Fontanka River Emb.) and street lamps were replaced on Moskovsky Avenue (from Sennaya Square to the Obvodny Canal Embankment) and a number of streets in the Tsentralny District. Next in line are the works on the installation of architectural lighting for the Trinity Bridge and the Betancourt bridge.
In the northeastern part of the city, Gazprom is actively developing a recreational area for the leisure and entertainment activities of the city residents. To that end, among other things, an open-air stage was installed and leisure areas and volleyball areas were arranged for the summer period in the territory of the ice rink in the Flagshtock (Flag Pole) public space of the Gazprom Arena stadium. The embankment near the Lakhta Center received urban improvements and now offers its visitors walkways and leisure areas, as well as designated areas for bicycle riding, roller skating and riding scooters. Both public spaces are very popular with the residents and guests of the city.
Underway is the development of St. Petersburg's new marine facade stretching from the Gazprom Arena stadium to the Lakhta Center. The world's first ensemble of three flagpoles reaching a height of 179.5 meters above the water has recently been installed on the coast of the Gulf of Finland in the territory of the Park of the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg.
For a comfortable life in the urban environment, it is important that vehicles are converted to natural gas, the most eco-friendly and cost-efficient fuel. To make gas filling more convenient for consumers, Gazprom expands the network of its compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations in St. Petersburg. At present, the construction of the filling station on Vaneeva Street in the Nevsky District is nearing completion and preparations are in progress for the construction of another three filling stations that will be located in the Kolpinsky, Nevsky and Vyborgsky Districts.
Apart from implementing socially significant projects, Gazprom makes significant payments to the budget of St. Petersburg. In 2022, the Gazprom Group transferred over RUB 250 billion in taxes to the city budget, i.e. more than one-fifth of the total budget revenue of St. Petersburg for the last year.
Background
Gazprom and the Government of St. Petersburg sign cooperation contracts in furtherance of the Agreement of Cooperation concluded between them. The Company and the city are also bound by the Coordination Agreement between the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Government of St. Petersburg and Gazprom on the development of the industrial potential of St. Petersburg for the needs of the gas industry and the Agreement of Cooperation between the Government of St. Petersburg and Gazprom aimed at expanding the use of LNG as a vehicle fuel in St. Petersburg.
Since 2007, Gazprom has been implementing a large-scale program for the comprehensive urban improvement of St. Petersburg. The renovation works have been performed on over 100 streets, mini-gardens, embankments and squares, including the installation of more than 18,000 street lamps.
In June 2022, the Program (Roadmap) was signed between the Government of St. Petersburg and Gazprom for cooperation in the delivery of facilities (implementation of projects) for the social and economic development of St. Petersburg. The Program covers more than 60 projects to be implemented in St. Petersburg with the participation of Gazprom.
A total of 39 sports facilities, including sports and health centers, have been built in St. Petersburg under the Gazprom for Children project. Another sports center equipped with a 50-meter swimming pool is under construction.
Gazprom continues supporting the largest restoration projects in St. Petersburg: works are underway to restore the Zubov Wing in the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoe Selo Museum and the Chinese Palace in Oranienbaum. Joint exhibition and restoration projects are being implemented, for instance, with the State Hermitage Museum, the State Russian Museum, and the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) of the RAS.
The Friends of St. Petersburg comprehensive social project of Gazprom has been implemented since 2020. The project is aimed at preserving the historical and cultural legacy of St. Petersburg and fostering the current development of the city.