OREANDA-NEWS. Fortum has commissioned unit 1 of its Chelyabinsk GRES combined heat and power plant in Russia. The unit's certified capacity is 247.5 megawatts (MW) electricity and the evaluated heat capacity 174,45 MW. Fortum starts to receive capacity payments for Chelyabinsk 1 under the Russian government's Capacity Supply Agreements (CSA) as of 1 December 2015. The unit 2 of Chelyabinsk GRES is estimated to start commercial operation in early 2016. The slight postponement is due to delays in construction. Upon completion, the combined capacity of the Chelyabinsk GRES units 1 and 2 will be 495 MW electricity.

"Our extensive investment programme in Russia that started in 2008 is now nearly completed. Our new CHP units are more efficient and competitive than the older units. In addition, they have significantly lower fuel consumption and  5 times lower NOx concentration emissions compared to the old equipment at the Chelyabinsk GRES power plant," notes Alexander Chuvaev, Executive Vice President, Russia segment of Fortum. "Energy efficiency and more environmentally benign and reliable technology will also benefit our local residential and industrial customers."

Fortum's investment programme in the South Urals and Western Siberia in Russia has consisted of eight new gas-fired power plant units and the modernization of the existing units. After the programme is concluded, Fortum will have one of the most modern fleets in Russia, and it has nearly doubled its power generation capacity in Russia to approximately 5,200 MW. The new capacity will receive considerably higher capacity payments than the old capacity under the Capacity Supply Agreements.

Fortum announced in October 2015 that the targeted operating profit (EBIT) level of RUB 18.2 billion in the Russia segment is delayed by two to three years. Previously the run-rate EBIT level was targeted to be reached during 2015 after finalizing the investment programme.