OREANDA-NEWS  On 18 November was announced, that at the press conference held in IDGC of Centre, the Chief of IDGC Holding's Technical Audit Department Mikhail Lvov handed over the Certificate of Preparedness of IDGC of Centre, JSC for Operation during the 2008 - 2009 Autumn and Winter Period to Evgeniy Makarov.

According to Mikhail Lvov - the Chairman of the Commission for Check of Preparedness of the Company for Passing the Autumn and Winter Period, the regional distribution grid companies of IDGC of Centre prepared for the forthcoming autumn and winter maximum of loadings on a high level.

The Commission for Check of Preparedness of the Company for Passing the Autumn and Winter Period besides IDGC of Centre's experts included representatives of IDGC Holding, the System Operator, Rostekhnadzor, and the Ministry of Power of the Russian Federation. Besides the actions on preparation for the autumn and winter period, the work on the control over performance of all planned measures was held. Weekly the company represented reports on a large number of actions on repairs, performance of the investment program, clearing of routes, replenishment of an emergency stock, and other actions. The commission members made additional comments, and after the elimination of these remarks each branch of IDGC of Centre received its own Certificate of Preparedness.
According to the Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre Sergey Shumakher, the significant part of company's resources were spent on the repairs program. Thus, the volume of expenses in 2008 equaled RUR 1 billion 270 million and in comparison with the past 2007 year it increased by 20%. The following facilities were actually repaired: 35-110 kV substations (98%), 35-110 kV overhead lines (96%). The repairs of 6 (10)/0.4 kV transformer substations were 100% executed; the repairs of 0.4-10 kV were executed by 95%. Performance of the investment program on repairs was more than 80%. Besides, the program on clearing of routes for overhead power lines was carried out. Every year the volume of clearing of routes in each branch increases. For 9 months of the year 2008, the clearing of routes was executed by 92%. The works come to an end.

As it was said at the press conference, IDGC of Centre realizes a system of overhaul repairs of objects where an object of the repairs is a whole power installation (transformer substation, transmission line, etc), rather than an element of electric power installation Application of such a method will allow to lower considerably expenses on material resources, to increase quality of works, to optimize use of the repair personnel, to introduce a system of warranting the responsibility. The system of overhaul repair was introduced in all branches of IDGC of Centre.

IDGC of Centre pays much attention to the actions directed to labour safety, the total amount of expenses under which in 2008 exceeded RUR 203 million 400 thousand. This information was also presented by the Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre Sergey Shumakher.