OREANDA-NEWS. As part of preparation for the 2013-2014 autumn and winter period, OJSC Irkutskenergo has carried out scheduled repairs to main equipment of power plants, heating networks and power grids, buildings and structures. Connection of consumers to heating networks in the Irkutsk Region started on September 16 and will continue until the end of the month, depending on climatic conditions and schedules approved by municipal authorities. Overall, OJSC Irkutskenergo’s branches are fully prepared for the heating season. Besides, upgrades of power generation facilities continue in accordance with approved schedules in order to improve their reliability, reduce the accident rate and ensure steady heat and electricity supply to consumers. The 2013 repairs program includes repairing 54 boiler units, 27 turbine units and nine hydroelectric units. The Company plans to allocate about RUB 5 bln for repairing main and auxiliary equipment, heating networks, buildings and structures. To date, 34 boiler units, 13 turbine units and four hydroelectric units have been repaired. Repairs to other equipment continue in accordance with the approved schedule. Like earlier, in 2013, the Company focuses on repairing the equipment which directly contributes to the reliability of plants. Thus, this year, it plans to replace over 900 tons of steel constructions.

As of September 15, 2013, fuel inventories at OJSC Irkutskenergo’s CHPPs totaled 3,354 thousand tons of coal and 5,524 tons of fuel oil. Coal and fuel oil inventories considerably exceed the targets set by the Russian Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Housing Policy, Power, Transport and Communication of the Irkutsk Region.

To date, arrears of local budgets, utility companies and municipal boiler houses of the Irkutsk Region on payments for heating have totaled RUB 1,832 mln. Receivables due from electric boiler houses are growing steadily: thus, as of the beginning of the 2012 heating season, boiler houses had RUB 156 mln of debt, while as of the beginning of 2013, the figure totaled RUB 249.5 mln; as of the beginning of the 2013 heating season, the debt already amounted to RUB 383.9 mln. We would like to emphasize that the share of consumers in this category who accumulate arrears during the heating season and subsequently evade debt repayment by means of bankruptcy and change in ownership has increased.

By the beginning of the heating season in the Irkutsk Region, 10,661 individual heating points (44% of their total number) were given permission to operate. Overall, in the Region, private houses have the lowest level of readiness (a mere 4.6%). OJSC Irkutskenergo is concerned over this situation, as the technical condition of heating points has a direct impact on reliability, safety and quality of heat supply to consumers.