OREANDA-NEWS. Participants of the project of sustainable utilization of water resources in the Republic of Karelia (KA535) within the Karelia ENPI CBC program have visited the settlement of Reboly, Muezersky region.

The starting point of the project currently implemented within the Karelia European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument program of cross-border cooperation was conclusion of the agreement between the Government of Karelia and Nord Hydro JSC in January of 2013. The agreement supposed cooperation and development of projects in the field of renewable energy in territory of the region, as well as expert appraisement of the possibility of building new small scale hydro-power plants.

In the opening stage the project assumed expert appraisement of the possibility to provide power supply in inhabited localities of Karelia isolated from the united power grid and substitution of electric energy for the expensive diesel-driven energy, that would be generated by small scale hydro-power plants. The expert appraisement was accomplished using the grant obtained by Nord Hydro JSC within the the Karelia European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument program of cross-border cooperation for 2007-2013. In order to provide in-depth development of the issue concerning technical and economical possibility of building a small scale hydro-power plant, the partners decided in favour of the settlement of Reboly. Engineering, ecological, geological, surveying and hydrometeorological prospecting was performed then in the settlement.

The procedure of accepting the results of prospecting conducted by VodozemEcologia Ltd. took place during the working meeting in Reboly. Heads of such companies as Jormakka Oy, experts of Versirakentaja Oy, Deputy Managing Director of Nord Hydro JSC Vladimir Romanchuk, as well as representatives of VodozemEcologia Ltd. have taken part in it.

As experts observe, in reliance on results of the survey the inference should be drawn that building the 500-600 kilowatt hydroelectric power station in the settlement of Reboly is technologically feasible. Besides, they have pointed out the economic importance of the project implementation for the entire region.

Construction of the small scale hydro-power plant in Reboly will enable full power supply of the settlement and will save on funds of the budget of the republic which is currently making compensation for the difference between the real energy tariffs and the reduced tariff adopted for the settlement of Reboly and other localities lacking centralized power supply.

According to Deputy Managing Director of Nord Hydro JSC Vladimir Romanchuk, further financing of the project is under scrutiny. He has also mentioned, that according to the project the small scale hydro-power plant-to-be will be able to generate electric power twice as much as the settlements actually needs. The excessive energy may be sold to other consumers, used to lighten the streets and heat the buildings. Additional energy resource will promote involvement of new investors and development of facilities in place, for instance, establishing of advanced processing of timber.