During the last weekend, a tractor truck arrived with an NES-8 SF circuit-breaker for starting up Hydro-unit No. 6 of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP.  Technological start-up of idle running of the sixth hydro-unit is planned for November 2009 in order to restore the generator insulation.

The equipment delivered to the power station was manufactured by the company ABB, Zurich (Switzerland) and meets the latest requirements, including for greater reliability. The circuit-breaker for the hydro-generators is designed for switching off currents of up to 200 KA.

Disassembly of the broken circuit-breaker is a technological difficult operation in which 15 people are participating.  The disassembled equipment is to be replaced by 25 October 2009 under the guidance of a representative of ÀÂÂ by a new SF circuit breaker. 

On 25 September, the tractor truck equipped with a special trailer to carry the SF circuit breaker left Moscow for Abakan and ultimately the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, a route covering 5558 Km.  The circuit breaker was sent to the power station by road since this was the optimal and cheapest mode of transport. 

The equipment is transported predominantly at night because of its slow speed: the aggregate weight of the SF circuit breaker is 18 metric tonnes. 

All the work on the hydro-units is being carried out by contractors: JSC Sayano-Shushenskiy Gidroenergoremont, JSC Turboremont-VKK, JSC Elektroremont-VKK, Yenisei-SGEM LLC, Centre-SGEM LLC and JSC Gidroremont-VKK.

At the time of the accident, hydro-unit No. 6 was in reserve.  As a result, the turbine and the generator did not suffer any substantial damage, so hydro-unit No. 6 will be the first hydro-unit to resume work. 

The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP occurred on 17 August 2009.  At the time of the accident, 9 of the power station’s hydro-aggregates were in operation.  The aggregate active capacity of the operating hydro-units was 4400 MW.  Search and rescue operations at the power station are now finished and restoration work is under way.