On January the 17th, a press conference on a topic “Moscow Region Energy Safety. New Year Holidays Lessons” took place at “Moskovsky Komsomolets” Publishing House press center. Andrey Konovalov, the General Director of JSC “MOESK”; Vasiliy Gromov, the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Moscow Region; Tsyren Tsagadaev, the Chairman of the Fuel and Energy Committee of the Moscow Region; and Viktor Kudryavy, a member of the Board of Directors of IDGC Holding, JSC participated in the conference.

In his introduction, Andrey Konovalov noted that a climatic collapse had taken place over the period from December the 25th to December the 26th. During it, 33 mm of downfalls had simultaneously fallen at the territory of 30 thousand square kilometers. To compare, he provided for a similar case having occurred at Canada in 1998. Then, 1 million 887 persons had lost energy because of “ice rain”. Electric energy supply recovery had taken 33 days. Power engineers of JSC “MOESK” needed about 7 days to recover electric energy supply. Only newly complicated weather conditions such as wet snow extended the terms of emergency recovery works.
”Due to damage to electric energy transmission lines, JSC “MOESK” lost 649 mWt of capacity while energy consumption at the region over a winter period equaled 16.5-17 mWt. Nevertheless, in 70 hours after the accident the Company’s engineers managed to cut losses to 187 mWt. Regime lines and crossflow were the first to be recovered” told Andrey Pavlovich.

Answering the question regarding possible cut of trees to increase width of energy transmission lines glades to enhance electric energy supply reliability, Andrey Pavlovich told that glades for electric energy transmission lines at the Moscow Region were significantly narrowed and required widening. Over the period of recovery, 130 thousand trees were taken away from transmission lines, while another 15 thousand impend falling at lines. Due to the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, about 8 thousand hectare of forests require being cut to eliminate the danger of trees falling at electric energy transmission lines. In accordance with specialists, it equals about 1 million cube meters of forest. Money gained from timber sale will become government revenue. “We hope to work out the solution algorithm together with representatives of Russian Forestry, the Government of the Moscow Region within a month, to fix glades up. It is one of the most important aspects to reduce risks and provide for reliability of regional electric energy supply” pointed out Konovalov.

The General Director of JSC “MOESK” told that encumbrances under recovery of electric energy transmission lines at the area difficult to approach showed necessity to crease emergency recovery immediate reserve established on the base of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation. It would be a general federal structure equipped with all-wheel drive techniques, means of mechanization and navigation, and a park of portable electric stations. It will include high level specialists having passed through training to work in case of emergency situations.

”It is very important for immediately reserve teams to exercise interregional functions as such weather anomalies and electric energy failures due to the weather have recently taken place at the territory of Samara and Ul’yanovsk regions, and Tatarstan as well” pointed out Andrey Konovalov.
Answering the question on the way JSC “MOESK” stands against extortioners requiring people to pay for electric energy supply connection under the situation, Konovalov told about the Company’s hot line. As for the current moment, 197 applications were made by telephone. Of them, 49 were subject for detailed work.

Answering the question “Who shall pay for electric energy supply recovery at
Gardeners’ partnerships?”, the General Director told that electric grids of the partnerships equaled about 250 in the Moscow Region were out of responsibility area of JSC “MOESK” being property of Garden Non-profit Partnership. The issue required regulation as well since grids belonged to gardeners while responsibility was tried to be put at JSC “MOESK”. “Recovering electric energy supply, we met numerous violations by landowners. Not garden houses but full scale real estates were built under our transmission lines. I don’t touch upon damage to health of people living in the houses, but such building contradicts current legislation” pointed out Andrey Pavlovich.
In conclusion, he added that losses of JSC “MOESK” at the result of the accident situation equaled about RUR 234 million under a preliminary estimation. They would be covered by means of the Company’s operating budget and insurance benefits.
Andrey Konovalov attracted attention of journalists to the fact that power engineers of JSC “MOESK”, colleagues from IDGC Holding, OJSC operating companies and contractor organizations, as well as forces and means mobilized by the Government of the Moscow Region essentially implemented a titanic rescue operation. In spite of numerous electric energy supply failures caused by falling of trees at electric energy transmission lines, the amount of electric energy insufficient supply equaled just 125 million kWt-hour with general output of JSC “MOESK” equaling 73 billion kWt-hour. He expressed hope for future joint action of responsible ministries and bodies to lead to increase in electric energy supply of the Moscow region.