OREANDA-NEWS. April 03, 2015. JSC RusHydro (ticker symbol: MOEX, LSE: HYDR; OTCQX: RSHYY) announces that it suspended production at the 120 MW Uglichskaya hydropower plant (part of Upper Volga cascade) for four days (from April 2 to April 5) at its own initiative and in accordance with the recommendation from the Federal Agency of water resources.

As a result, the reservoir level is expected to rise faster and should reach 111 m above sea level by May 1, 2015, which is the minimal threshold level, necessary for navigation of large vessels. Currently, the water level stands at 109.5 m, or below shipping threshold.

The company considers that the sustainable operation of hydropower plants also should take into account interests of other stakeholders, such as safety of the population and property, prevention of arable land from flooding, adequate irrigation, maintaining conditions for navigation, fishing, and covering peak loads in the energy system.

Upper Volga Cascade is a branch of RusHydro, comprising Rybinskaya and Uglichskaya hydropower plants as well as Khorobrovskaya Small HPP. Average annual output of these plants is 1.2 TWh.

Regimes for filling and draining water reservoirs, managing floods by hydropower plants are being determined by theFederal Agency of water resources. These regimes reflect recommendations by intra-agency working group, featuring representatives of Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Agency of Fisheries, Federal Shipping Agency, System Operator, regional governments, etc.

Information on hydrological situation of Volga-Kama cascade as well as Novosibirskaya, Sayano-Shushenskaya and Boguchanskaya hydropower plants, updated on a daily basis, is available at: http://www.rushydro.ru/hydrology/informer/

Video on water reservoir management on the case of Volga-Kama Cascade: http://www.rushydro.ru/press/polovode_2013/video/