OREANDA-NEWS. March 23, 2010. At RusHydro’s (ticker symbol: HYDR; MICEX, RTS and LSE) Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP named after P.S.Neporozhniy (Republic of Khakassia), hydro unit No. 5, with a capacity of 640 MW, was connected to the grid under load.

The signal to connect hydro unit No. 5 to the grid was given by Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin during video-conference with Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Sechin had reported to the Prime Minister that hydro unit No. 5 was ready to be launched under load. Mr. Sechin had underlined that work of the two units (unit No. 5 and unit No.6) significantly improves reliability of power supply in Siberian Energy System and minimizes the risks associated with the flood.

Hydro unit No. 5 and hydro unit No. 6, (launched on 24 February 2010), were started up ahead of schedule. The start-up of hydro unit No. 5 has brought the capacity of the plant up to 1280 MW (before the accident it was 6400 MW). Launch of hydro units No. 3 and No. 4 is planned for the end of 2010, after which the installed capacity of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP will reach 2560 MW.

On the same day a session of the Government Commission on restoration of Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP took place at the site. Deputy Minister of Energy Stanislav Svetlitsky, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC RusHydro Evgeniy Dod, as well as representatives of the regional authorities, a number of Russian departments, design and construction organizations, scientific institutes and equipment manufacturers participated in the session.

The participants in the meeting noted that the launch of hydro units No. 6 (24 February 2010) and No. 5 of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP marked a major stage in restoring the plant and in the process of reducing the power shortage in Siberian System as a result of the plant coming to a halt in August 2009. Full operation of the two hydro units with a basic capacity of 1280 MW will also help minimize the risks associated with the flood and guarantee the water supply to the population, industrial and social facilities located at the tail race of the hydro-power plant.