OREANDA-NEWS. On January 23, 2009 Mr.Gintaris Mekas was appointed to the position of Acting General Manager of Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant. Previously he was a Technical Manager – the First Deputy General Manager. Mr.Mekas replaced the retired 70-year-old Mr.Vaclovas Spudulis who had been the General Manager of Kruonis Hydro Pumped Power Plant since 1992, reported the press-centre of Lietuvos Energija.

Mr.Gintaris Mekas is 47 years of age. He has been working for Kruonis Hydro Power Plant since 1988. Having started his career as Head of Electrical Workshop, in 2006 he became Technical Manager – the First Deputy General Manager. Before commencing his work at Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant Mr.G.Mekas worked at the power plant Lietuvos Elektrine,  later – Ignalina power plant.

According to Mr.Darius Masionis, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Lietuvos Energija AB, Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant performs a special and highly significant role of electricity generation and consumption balance for the power system of Lithuania. “The Management Board of the joint-stock company Lietuvos Energija, having evaluated the experience and professional competence of Gintaris Mekas, has resolved to appoint Mr.Mekas to the position of Acting General Manager,” – says Mr.D.Masionis, CEO of Lietuvos Energija AB.

“My primary goal is to ensure that the function of the power plant is performed smoothly. I will do my best to justify the trust placed in me by the Management of Lietuvos Energija”, - says Mr. G.Mekas.

Kruonis Hydro Power Plant is a branch of Lietuvos Energija AB – a subsidiary of the national investment company LEO LT AB. 

About Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant
The purpose of Kruonis pumped storage plant is to balance the generation and consumption of electricity as well as to prevent accidents and liquidate faults in the power system. It is a fast reserve of the system, used to perform the power system’s 24-hour load fluctuation adjustments. After the disconnection of Ignalina NPP generator, in order to compensate the capacity deficit, generators of Kruonis PSP are automatically launched.

The pumped power plant employs the hydro resources of artificial water pools, located at different geographical altitudes.  The electricity from this power plant is supplied to 330 kV power grid. In case of excessive electricity generation, Kruonis PSP is operated at pump mode and the excessive electricity is used to pump water from lower to upper pool. During the electricity generation deficit, the plant is operated as a regular hydro power plant, letting the water flow from upper to lower pool and in this way generating additional electricity.

Kruonis pumped storage plant is a branch of Lietuvos Energija AB – a subsidiary of the national investment of LEO LT AB, which alongside Kaunas hydro power plant, will be unbundled by May 27, 2010. At the moment conditions are under preparation and after their approval by shareholders of Lietuvos Energija AB, the legal and functional unbundling of the power plants from Lietuvos Energija AB will be launched. Following the approval of the conditions by the shareholders of LEO LT AB (Government of the Republic of Lithuania and NDX Energija UAB), shares of both power plants will be transfered to the ownership of the Republic of Lithuania for 1 litas.