OREANDA-NEWS. On October 02, 2007 RAO "UES of Russia" has released a progress report on the implementation of its Investment Programme by RAO UES companies in September 2007, reported the press-centre of RAO "UES of Russia".

On 7 September, TGC-1 launched the construction of a power unit at the Pervomayskaya CHPP-14. RAO "UES of Russia" will spend RUB15 billion in funds on the construction of two combined-cycle gas turbines each having a capacity of 180 MW for electricity and 135 Gcal/h for heat. The project will be financed by TGC-1 in accordance with the company's investment programme for 2005-2006. The power unit will help increase the reliability of power supply to the areas surrounding the plant and meet the future electricity demand in one of the most rapidly developing city districts.

On 10 September, WGC-3 launched the third phase of its investment project to construct new units at the Cherepetskaya TPP. It is planned that the construction of two 225 MW coal-fired generators will be completed in three and a half years. The first generator is scheduled to go on line in Q3 2010 and the second generator, in Q4 2010. The new generators using the fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) technology will help reduce the cost of electricity generation, improve the plant's technical and economic performance as well as its environmental characteristics, and improve the reliability of power supply to consumers in the city of Moscow, the Moscow Region and the neighbouring regions.

In September, WGC-6 started construction of two gas turbines of 270 MW each. By 2010, the turbines will be installed at the existing power unit No. 6 of the Kirishskaya TPP. After the modernization, the unit's capacity will increase to 800 MW.

Two mobile gas turbine power plants with a combined capacity of 45 MW were put into pilot operation at the 110 kV Novosyrovo Substation on 21 September. The Mobile GTPPs are being deployed in the Moscow Region pursuant to the RAO UES Investment Programme and the Agreement between RAO "UES of Russia" and the Moscow Region Government. It is planned that 10 Mobile GTPPs having a combined capacity of 225 MW will be deployed in the Moscow Region. Similar power plants are to be launched at the 110 kV Pushkino Substation on 15 October 2007 and at the 110 kV Rublevo Substation on 15 November 2007.

A large amount of construction and modernization work has been done in the transmission sector. On 19 September, Southern Trunk Grids, a branch of Federal Grid Company (FGC), completed a project to repair the 125 MVA autotransformer at the 330 kV Derbent substation in Dagestan. This will improve the reliability of power supply in Derbent, Russia's southernmost city with a population of over 90,000 people. The cost of the project was in excess of RUB800,000. In 2007, Southern Trunk Grids will spend RUB250 million on repairs and maintenance of the FGC and trunk grid facilities.

On 24 September, West Siberian Trunk Grids, a FGC branch, brought on line the autotransformer group with the total capacity of 501 MVA at the 500 kV Tarko-Sale Substation. This will ensure reliable power supply to the cities of Muravlenkovsky, Gubkinsky, and Novy Urengoy, which account for 60% of the population of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous okrug.

On 26 September, another FGC branch, Siberian Trunk Grids, completed the modernization of autotransformers at the 1,150 kV Itatskaya Substation and the 220 kV Divnogorskaya Substation in the Krasnoyarsk Kray. This improved the reliability of electricity transmission to the Altay Kray, Kemerovo Region and Republic of Khakassia, and helped ensure reliable power supply to industrial and residential consumers in the city of Krasnoyarsk.

On 28 September, Southern Trunk Grids, a FGC branch, completed the modernization of the system of relays on the HV lines of 330 kV, Prokhladny – Mashuk and Mashuk – HPP-2 – Nevinnomysskaya TPP. The work was completed to modernize the 330 kV Mashuk substation in accordance with the FGC Investment Programme. A total of RUB1,6 billion in funds was spent on the substation modernization. The new modern system of protective relays will boost the reliability of power supply to 4 resort cities and 118 large health resorts in the Caucasus Mineral Waters region.

On the same day, the Volga Trunk Grids branch of FGC started a project to modernize the links between the transmission lines and the 500 kV Veshkayma Substation in the Ulyanovsk Region. The project is being implemented as part of the substation's major overhaul worth a total of RUB2 billion. The equipment replacement will significantly improve the reliability of electricity transit from the Balakovskaya NPP and Zhigulevskaya HPP to the central regions of Russia. The project value is estimated at RUB100 million.

In September, OAO "Lenenergo" allocated RUB380 million for the construction of 110 kV links to the Rzhevskaya Substation. These links are intended for the connection of the 330 kV Rzhevskaya Substation scheduled to go on line this year to the existing 110 kV network. This will make it possible to shift part of the load from the existing 330 kV Vostochnaya Substation, thus improving the reliability of power supply to consumers not only in Saint Petersburg, but also in the Vsevolozhsky District, Tosnensky District, Gatchinsky District and Kirovsky District of the Leningrad Region. The projects are being implemented under the Agreement on Interaction between Saint Petersburg and RAO "UES of Russia" in implementing measures to ensure reliable electricity supply and create the conditions for consumer connections to Saint Petersburg electricity grids.

Moreover, last month, the distribution grid companies of RAO "UES of Russia" completed the modernization of eleven 110 kV substations and brought about 120 km of 0.4 kV to 110 kV transmission lines.