OREANDA-NEWS. On 27 March 2008 was announced, that Heating Main No. 4 was started up which connects Novo-Irkutsk Thermal Power Station of JSC Irkutskenergo and the right-bank part of the city.

The decision on actions for the further development of the city municipal services, including construction of the heating main was taken in 1976. Development of the project was performed simultaneously with development of the city heat supply plan. Construction of the heating main "Novo-Irkutsk TPS-Verkhny Bief" was initiated in 1986 for future construction development of Irkutsk on the left and right banks of the Angara. Construction was performed from 1986 to 1990. But at disintegration of the USSR in 1990, construction of the heating main of Verkhny Bief was suspended and renewed only in 2004. In 2005 the first site of the heating main "Novo-Irkutsk TPS-RK Sverdlovskaya was put into operation, its length is 6.3 km.

A unique suspension bridge across the Angara of 301 m and pylon's height of 50 m is the most complex element of the heating main. The bearing elements are 12 steel ropes of 72 mm diameter. The total weight of structures of the suspension bridge equals about 1400 tons. The total length of the second site of the heating main is 8,580 m. The construction financing was performed owing to the proceeds and credit means of JSC Irkutskenergo. The volume of investments equaled RUR 1,318 million, including the suspension bridge across the Angara equal to RUR 423 million. The recoupment period will be 6.3 years.

Construction was carried out under the project developed by JSC Sibirsky Orgstroyproekt. Contractors of the project were JSC Irkutskenergoremont, NPO Mostovik Ltd., JSC Edinstvo, PSMK Avangard, SK Vostsibstroy Ltd., CERF Ltd. Terms of construction were reduced by 3 months due to improvements in the organization of construction and application of new technological materials and equipment.

The automated system of the dispatching control and management was applied for the centralized operative control over and pumping stations management (ASDC) with integration of Novo-Irkutsk TPS thermal networks management into the existing system of ASDC. All pump stations apply devices of smooth start-up and frequency converters for handling of pumps made by ABB Company, GRUNDFOS-made pumps are also applied. The modern type of thermal isolation of pipelines - foamy polyurethane insulation. Double-acting shell-and-tube expansion joints of big diameter (nominal diameter: 1000) were applied for the first time in Russia for compensation of thermal extension of pipelines.

Implementation of the thermal main will allow:

      -To receive the economic benefit due to the essential difference in the cost price of thermal energy generated at Novo-Irkutsk Thermal Power Station and the city boiler houses;

       -To remove restrictions and to raise reliability of the heat supply of the right-bank part of the city (at the existing plan of heat supply of heating main No. 2 "Novo-Irkutsk TPS-Rayonnaya Kotelnya Kirovskaya" passing through the Old Angara bridge without an opportunity of increase in its transmission capacity);

       -To release electric capacity by closing unprofitable boiler houses that is extremely actual in conditions of development of the city and growing power consumption.