OREANDA-NEWS  On 17 December was announced, that the Commission, appointed by Lithuanian State Energy Inspectorate Under the Ministry of Economy recognized Unit 2 of Kaunas hydro power plant as suitable for use. Signing of this act on December 12 completed the first stage of rehabilitation of Kaunas hydro power plant.  During this stage, Units 1 and 4 were installed, tested and commissioned. They include a new model of turbine runner, new excitation and control systems of the units. Moreover, a new fire fighting system has been installed, the lighting grid renovated, new control room and ventilation buildings constructed, hydro insulation of machine room, lifting equipment and switchgear room replaced, cranes reconstructed, fencing of spillway and squares renovated, etc.

 “I am delighted that the soon-to-celebrate-its-50-anniversary Kaunas HPP will further generate reasonably priced electricity by using renewable power generation sources and serve another 50 years,“ – says Mr.Juozas Bartlingas, the Director of Kaunas Hydro power plant.  According to him, the performed rehabilitation work was not only sophisticated but also unique. The rehabilitation of the power units was performed while the power plant was in operation. Besides, in order to ensure a maximum 93.6 per cent efficiency, turbine runners of new model were designed specially for Kaunas hydro power plant.

The rehabilitation works of Kaunas Hydro Power Plant were started in summer 2005. The value of the project – LTL 125m. From this amount LTL 30m were assigned from the EU funds under the Single Programming Document, Measure 1.2 Ensuring of Energy Supply Stability, Accessibility and Improvement of Efficiency. The key tasks of Kaunas hydro power plant rehabilitation and renovation: the increase of its operation efficiency, upgrading of regulation and control processes, improvement of the environmental protection.

During the first stage nearly LTL 78m were invested, including a part of the EU support. The remaining part of the investment has been allocated to another stage – rehabilitation of Units 1 and 2. The work of the second stage of Kaunas HPP rehabilitation will be launched at the beginning of 2009. The project is to be finalized in December 2009.

Kaunas hydro power plant is a branch of Lietuvos Energija AB. Its main function in to ensure capacity balances and to regulate regimes. Lietuvos Energija AB is a subsidiary of the national investment company LEO LT AB, which performs functions of electricity transmission grid (110-330 kV voltage) owner, system operator and market operator.