The county can proceed with the preparation of a transformation centre, which will offer services of power engineers, data specialists or, for example, premises for start-up companies. It has received a European subsidy of approximately CZK 952 million for this purpose. More than CZK 15 billion in EU funds have been earmarked for the region to move away from coal mining. Among the projects are those that envisage the production and use of hydrogen.
The so-called Transformation Centre of the Ústí nad Labem Region (TCUK) was the first strategic project in the region to receive a grant from the Operational Programme Just Transformation. The total budget for the reconstruction of the former secondary school in Stará Street in Ústí nad Labem and for the activities of the organisations that will find facilities in the complex amounts to approximately CZK 1.1 billion. The Ústí nad Labem Region will share 15 percent of the costs. Construction work should begin in autumn 2025 and finish in winter 2027.
The transformation centre is one of the strategic projects to help the region move away from lignite mining. The complex will provide data services for the region, and prepare transformational projects for landscape revitalization, energy and innovation. The complex will also include space for workshops, a restaurant or café. "We're also creating a robotic testing centre there and we're thinking of building a simulation centre - in partnership with the County Health Authority we should have a space where doctors can try out different operations. We think that this could also contribute to the attractiveness of the region, because young doctors would be able to try out operations and have the relevant certifications sooner," said regional councillor Iva Dvořáková from ODS.
The design of the transformation centre came out of an international architectural competition. The former high school is still empty and is used for training by police officers.
The regional transformation centre is the only strategic project that has been allocated a subsidy so far. The others are still waiting for the final decision and according to Iva Dvořáková, it is expected that they will get the approval in about six months. By the end of December, eight strategic projects had applied for support from the Fair Transformation Fund, including a replacement lithium mining project. Among the others are, for example, the use of geothermal energy in Litoměřice, hydrogen production in the Triangle industrial zone or hydrogen mobility - for example, trolleybuses in Ústí nad Labem.
In the Czech Republic, money from the Fair Transformation Fund is also going to projects in two other former coal regions - Karlovy Vary and Moravia-Silesia.
Source: Ústí nad Labem Region, CTK
Photo source: mh architects
