Representatives from major federal executive agencies, the Government of the Irkutsk Region, the business community, and the scientific sector are continuing collaborative efforts on a project to establish a federal chemical center in Usolye-Sibirskoye. This joint initiative brings together state actors, regional authorities, industry leaders, and researchers who see the center as a pivotal node in Russia’s chemical sector. The aim is to coordinate investment, regulation, and innovation to strengthen domestic capabilities in chemical production and research.
The Federal Chemical Center is described by leading policymakers as a cornerstone of the country’s economic and scientific policy framework. Maria Vasilkova, a State Duma deputy and head of the expert council for the chemical industry under the State Duma Committee on Industry and Trade, underscored the center’s strategic role in shaping Russia’s industrial landscape. Her remarks reflect a broader consensus among lawmakers that advancing the chemical sector requires integrated planning, cross-sector collaboration, and robust governance to ensure sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
Rosatom is advancing efforts to rehabilitate the site intended for the federal chemical center. Beyond restoring the land, the state corporation plans to establish a new industrial cluster dedicated to the management of chemical waste. This cluster would be anchored by the Vostok production and technical complex, a facility focused on industrial waste management. The approach envisions a holistic modernization of the site, combining environmental remediation with the creation of a modernized, integrated waste handling ecosystem that can serve multiple facilities within the cluster.
The project is moving through its early planning stages, with the concept development nearing completion. Officials have indicated an intention to present to the Government of the Russian Federation a formal passport for the federal project that would designate the Usolye-Sibirskoe Federal Agricultural Center as a key component. In statements, expectations are that the Federal Chemical Center will become part of broader national initiatives, including a mega-project aimed at substituting imports of critical chemical products. This framing situates the center within a national strategy to bolster domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on external sources for essential chemicals.
In addition to JSC Rokhim, other major Russian enterprises have signaled interest in participating through investments. The growing pool of potential investors reflects confidence in the project’s transformative potential for regional development, job creation, and technological advancement. The collaboration model combines public governance with private capital, aiming to accelerate construction, scale production, and foster innovation ecosystems around the center.
This initiative aligns with a broader national directive issued by the Russian leadership to enhance the production of small and medium-tonnage chemical products. The strategic objective, articulated in prior state directives, calls for significant growth in production volumes by 2025 and 2030, with ambitious targets to expand output and diversify the product mix. The plan envisions a measured trajectory—developing capabilities in smaller-scale chemical outputs while integrating them into a resilient, modernized industrial base. The government has signaled a clear commitment to advancing chemical manufacturing as a driver of regional prosperity and technological progress.