Moscow, 28 September 2005. Today, the Operational Headquarters for construction of the gas turbine unit, GRU-CHPP "Luch", in the city of Belgorod held its regular meeting. The unit is scheduled for commissioning in November 2005. The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Operational Launch Headquarters of RAO "UES of Russia" and Evgeny Makarov, Director General of OAO "IDC-1" and OAO "Heat Energy Company" (Belgorod).

The HQ members inspected the plant site and installations of the GTU-CHPP "Luch": the outdoor switchgear, gas turbine units, waste heat recovery boilers, booster compressor station, gas treatment facility, and surveyed the installation and pre-commissioning works. The Operational Headquarters noted the high technical readiness of the power plant for the launch.

The GTU-CHPP "Luch" project is part of the process to implement the Agreement on Cooperation between the Belgorod Region Administration and OAO RAO "UES of Russia" in Reforming and Developing the Energy Sector of the Belgorod Region signed in August 2003. This is the first power plant of RAO "UES of Russia" being built on the basis of project finance principles and financed with funds borrowed from OAO "Bank for Foreign Trade" (Vneshtorgbank) and OAO "Savings Bank of Russia" (Sberbank of Russia), rather than the funds of RAO "UES of Russia" earmarked for investment purposes.

GTU-CHPP "Luch" is based on combined-cycle generation of electricity and heat. The power plant's two power units are equipped with LM2500 + DLE gas turbines produced by General Electric. When put into operation, the CHPP will have an installed capacity of 60 MW of electricity and 60 Gcal of heat*.

Besides, today the Belgorod Regional Dispatch Administration, a branch of OAO "UES SO-CDA", has put into operation a new operational dispatch system for the Belgorod Region's energy system. The technical innovations included in the new system will significantly improve the quality and reliability of power supply and help promptly deal with emergencies and power failures.

In addition, a new Customer Service Center established by Belgorodenergo's spin-off companies has been inaugurated in Belgorod today. Customers will be able to make power supply agreements and agreements for access to heating and electricity grids, and pay their utility bills.