OREANDA-NEWS. November 23, 2007. On November 22, a new 450 MW power unit was launched at the CHPP-27 of OAO "Mosenergo", the RAO UES press service reports. The official launch ceremony was attended by First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government Sergey Ivanov, Head of the Federal Electricity Energy Dmitry Akhanov, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, Chairman of the Management Board of RAO "UES of Russia" Anatoly Chubais, Director General of OAO "Mosenergo" Anatoly Kopsov, as well as representatives of Gazprom, officials of the Ministry of Industry and Energy, Moscow City and Region Governments, deputies of the State Duma.

The new, third power units at the CHPP-27 is the first combined-cycle gas turbine power unit having the highest capacity in the Moscow Region to be launched according to the RAO UES Investment Programme. The power unit was built within 22 months, an unprecedented short period of time for such kind of facility.

The installed capacity of the power unit is 450 MW of electricity and 300 Gcal of heat. The equipment installed at the unit is two Russian-made gas turbines of 160 MW each and one steam turbine of 130 MW.

The power unit is based on the combined-cycle technology which delivers efficiency of 51.5% (compared to traditional steam power units which have a 40% efficiency) while saving 20-25% fuel and reducing emissions into the atmosphere by a third.

The launch of the new unit will help improve the reliability of power supply to the Moscow Region which has seen a steady surge in power consumption over the past few years. The new capacity of 450 MW and 300 Gcal just brought on line will deliver electricity and heat to over 400,000 apartments in Moscow and the surrounding Moscow Region.

By 2011, Mosenergo plans to bring on line over 4,000 MW of new capacity in the Moscow Region, or 800-900 MW a year. The momentum is expected to continue until 2020. This year, Mosenergo has been involved in the construction of six combined-cycle power units with the combined installed capacity of over 2,000 MW at the key power units in the so-called 220 kV "energy ring" (CHPP-21, CHPP-26, and CHPP-27) and the plants supplying power to the city center of Moscow (CHPP-9, CHPP-12) and the modernization of the steam power equipment in order to increase capacity at some other CHPPs.

CHPP-27 is one of the key power plants of Mosenergo located in the ring of 220 kV transmission lines. The CHPP-27 was brought on line on 25 December 1992 and is the most environment-friendly power plants. The information management system installed at the power plant ensures reliable and efficient operation of equipment and ongoing monitoring of hazardous emissions.