Moscow. 20 November 2003. Representatives of RAO "UES of Russia" have taken part in the 3^rd All-Russian Environment Protection Congress to address the most pressing issues of rational environmental management.

During the Environmental Monitoring workshop, RAO "UES of Russia" made a report on the social and environmental monitoring of the area affected by the hydraulic power system on the Bureya River. Such monitoring has been in place since 2002. It was initiated by RAO "UES of Russia" and supported by the local authorities and environment protection agencies in Khabarovsky Kray and Amurskaya Region. To date, there have been practically no full-scale projects in Russia to survey the environmental and social impact of hydraulic power systems on the surrounding areas.

The key goal of the social and environmental monitoring of the Bureya hydraulic power system is to provide objective information on the environmental processes caused by the hydraulic systems to the environment agencies, government authorities, and the public.

The meteorological, geological, and water environment, soil, vegetation, farmland, wildlife, and social environment are monitored throughout the valley of the Bureya River (over 400 km).

Monitoring will be performed in two stages. At the first stage, during the period of the gradual fill of the reservoir (2003 – 2008), work will be carried out to optimise the monitoring network, and to define the aspects of environmental survey and database structure. During the next stage, in 2008 through 2017, monitoring will be carried out in respect of the most critical aspects determined during the first stage.

About 20 scientific and specialized organizations in Khabarovsky Kray and Amurskaya Region will be involved in the monitoring at the first stage. The cost of works at the first stage is over RUB 30 million.

In 2003, field studies have been carried out in the area affected by the hydraulic system. As a result, monitoring sites have been determined, and the initial characteristics have been entered in the database. The first results of the monitoring have shown that the filling of the Bureya reservoir to the level of 206 m has not impaired the water quality.