OREANDA-NEWS. On 16 April 2009 was announced, that in 2009 it is planned to lay electric cable to the island of Valaam through the bottom of Ladoga lake. Issues related to the forthcoming works were discussed at meeting at the Prime Minister of the Government of Karelia Pavel Chernov on April 14.

One of the main problems constraining revival and further development of the island of Valaam is provision of its steady electrosupply.

In 2005 by order of Vladimir Putin work on improvement of power supply systems of Valaam has begun. At the first stage the new diesel power station which became an independent source of electricity on the island has been constructed. Simultaneously there went projecting of the transmission line through the bottom of Ladoga lake that would allow to have Valaam connected to the electricity mains of the continent. The investing customer of the project is the Federal Grid Company of the Unified Electric Power System.

Director of the Northwest branch of the Engineering and Construction Management Center of the Unified Electric Power System Vladimir Salov (the project construction manager) has told at the meeting that this year it is planned to carry out direct work on construction of power substations on the coast, lay the underwater cable and surface power lines. Approximate terms of installation completion is November, 2009. Two underwater cables (the main and backup) will be laid to the island from Pitkaranta region. According to Vladimir Salov, the estimated cost of the project will make 2,5 billion roubles.

The project is considered quite important in the republic. During the meeting matters concerned business issues of allotment of land for routing, building licensing, etc. Pavel Chernov has assigned responsibility to representatives of key republican ministries, administrations of Pitkaranta and Sortavala regions for assistance in the project implementation.