OREANDA-NEWS. May 7, 2007 RAO "UES of Russia" has released a progress report on the implementation of the Investment Programme by the RAO UES energy companies in April 2007.

On 10 April 2006, OAO "Tomskenergo" brought on stream a new boiler in a peak load and reserve boiler plant. This is the first new capacity after the establishment of OAO "TGC-11" in the Tomsk Energy System. The new boiler will help operate the plant in the base load mode and replace retiring capacity at CHPP of the Siberian Chemical Plant located in Seversk. The boiler has the best technical and economic performance in its class and an increased efficiency (up 4%).

Within the framework of the TGC-11 investment programme, work is underway to install a new 50 MW turbine at the Tomskaya TPP-2.

In April, OAO "FGC UES" did a large amount of work to modernize its equipment. On 25 April, Center Transmission Grids Branch of FGC started the construction of 500 kV gas-insulated switchgear and a 500/200 kV coupling autotransformer at the Kashirskaya TPP. The project is designed to deliver electricity from the 500 kV grid to the 220 kV grid. As a result, the Moscow Energy System will have an additional capacity of 500 MVA, which will make it technically possible to connect new users and significantly improve the reliability of energy supply in the Moscow Region as a whole.

Also, Center Transmission Grids teams completed the installation of a 125 MVA 220/110 kV transformer at the Orlovskaya 220 kV substation. This helped to increase the reliability of power supply to consumers. The cost of the project to replace the equipment was RUB60.4 million. By end-2007, the Center Transmission Grids will spend RUB22 billion in funds on the modernization and technical upgrade of the 220 kV infrastructure facilities.

On 24 April, the Urals Transmission Grids branch of FGC put on line a 500/110 kV transformer of 250 MVA at the Zlatoust 500 kV substation in the Chelyabinsk Region. The replacement of old equipment helped raise the reliability of power supply to consumers in the Southern Urals area. Now that the transformer is operational, the branch will be able to commence the final phase of substation modernization involving the upgrade of the other two autotransformers and complete the project and commission the facility by year-end 2007.

On 27 April, the East Transmission Grids branch of FGC put into operation the 220 kV switching point at the Partizansk substation, which made it possible to optimize the power supply scheme of the Partizanskaya TPP and Primorskaya TPP. This brought an additional 50 MW of capacity to the energy systems in the south of the Primorsky Kray and significantly improved the reliability of power supply to customers, including in the cities of Nakhodka and Partizansk, the Vostochny port (the largest one in the Russian Far East), agricultural enterprises in the Golden Valley, and tourist facilities. The project cost RUB240 million.

Moreover, last month, the distribution grid companies completed the modernization of two 110 kV substations and started modernization of over 10 substations of up to 110 kV, and about 100 km of 110 kV overhead and cable lines.

On 27 April, OAO "Mosenergo" started the construction of power unit No. 8 at its CHPP-26. The new power unit will have an installed capacity of 420 MW of electricity and 265 Gcal/h of heat. The new power unit of CHPP-26 will be one of the most advanced, efficient and environment friendly power facilities both in Russia and the European countries. It will use the fourth generation of combined cycle technology. This technology will help significantly improve its performance characteristics, and the new power unit will have efficiency of 59%. This will help save up to 20-25% of fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a third compared to the conventional steam power generators. In addition, the new power unit will have a gas turbine of 280 MW. The power unit will be put into operation in Q2 2009.