Moscow. 28 November 2003. On Saturday, 29 November, the Chairman of the Management Board of RAO "UES of Russia" Anatoly Chubais will take part in the ceremony to commission the second generating unit at Bureyskaya HPP located in the settlement of Talakan, Amurskaya Region.

The ceremony will also be attended by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian President to the Far-Eastern Federal Okrug Konstantin Pulikovsky and Governor of Amurskaya Region Leonid Korotkov.

The completion of Bureyskaya HPP, which is the largest hydroelectric construction project in Russia over the past 15 years, is an important part of the government program for the development of the Far East and Transbaikalia. The Far-Eastern energy system is practically isolated from the Unified Energy System of Russia. Up to 40% of the coal consumed in the area has to be transported 3 - 3.5 thousand km to the region. These factors seriously affect the reliability of the Far-Eastern energy system and result in the growth of electricity tariffs, which are the highest in Russia, slowing down the increase in industrial output in the region.

The launch of Bureyskaya HPP will ensure reliable electricity supply to consumers in the Far East of Russia, primarily in Primorsky Kray, reduce the region's dependence on the coal and fuel oil brought to the area, and help control the electricity tariffs.

In 2004, the electricity generated at Bureyskaya HPP will help save over 1.75 million tons of coal, and after the power plant begins to operate at full capacity, the savings will amount to 5.2 million tons of coal annually. In 2004, the annual savings as a result of reduction in the purchase of long-range coals will make RUB1.3 billion, and in 2007 the savings are expected to reach RUB4.7 billion.

After the launch of the first hydroelectric unit at Bureyskaya HPP in June 2003, the voltage levels stabilized in the power grids of the south-west of Amurskaya Region. Another positive effect of the launch of Bureyskaya HPP was the reduction in electricity tariffs in Primorsky Kray and Amurskaya Region.

Bureyskaya HPP ranks among the highest priority projects of RAO "UES of Russia". In 2003, RAO "UES of Russia" invested RUB7 billion in the projects, and in 2004 the funding will remain at the same level.

The entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2007. Bureyskaya HPP will be the largest hydroelectric plant in the Far East of Russia. The power plant's installed capacity will be 2,000 MW, with the average annual output of 7.1 TWh. At present, all power plants in Russia's Far East generate 38 TWh of electricity annually. In 2004, Bureyskaya HPP will be able to produce 2.1 TWh of electricity.