On January 29th, in Cheryomushky-village (Khakassia), a meeting was held, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Sechin, on the restoration work at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Management Board of JSC RusHydro Evgeniy Dod, managers of the power company, representatives of a number of Russian ministries, design and construction organisations, scientific institutes and equipment manufacturers.

In his speech, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation spoke in detail about aspects of icing-up at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, noting that the Government foresaw this situation back in August-September and that response scenarios were developed in early autumn. «And this has brought results. Today we managed to eliminate the top of the so-called „iceberg“. The dividing wall and roof of the engine room are free of ice and snow build-up. We never had any serious doubts about this», Igor Sechin concluded, adding that the measures developed for combating icing-up could now be used effectively at other hydro-engineering facilities. «At this stage, we are not concerned about the situation at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, but there is a sense of responsibility», the Deputy Prime Minister stressed.

Igor Sechin dwelt separately on the question of control over the status of the hydro-engineering structures of the power station. «In September, we obtained the results of inspection of the hydro-engineering structures and we have a conclusion that they are in full working order. Their operating reliability and safety are ensured. Daily monitoring is carried out using the control and measurements equipment, including 6,000 sensors, installed in the body of the dam» he explained.

Speaking of the state of the dam of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, Igor Sechin emphasised that the integrity of the structure’s concrete had not been compromised and that there were no cracks or leaks either in the body or the foundations of the dam. «The arched-gravity dam was in operating order before the accident and it still is, as is confirmed by monitoring by the control and measurement instruments installed in the body of the dam», the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

During the meeting, Igor Sechin also instructed the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation to consider creating, on the basis of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, a special monitoring centre whose results could be used both by the specialists of the power plant itself and those of Rosvodresursy (Federal Agency for Water Resources), Hydrometeotcentre and other related ministries and departments. According to him, this centre would help monitor the state of both the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP dam and the water.

In conclusion, Igor Sechin noted that preparations for switching on hydro-units Nos. 5 and 6 of the power plant were on schedule and that these units should be launched in the regular working regime in the first quarter of 2010. The Deputy Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Energy, the Systems Operator, and the Federal Grid Company to work on the issue of starting-up the first ready hydro-unit of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP in base-load regime. Igor Sechin stressed that this was a very important matter requiring most scrupulous attention. «This will allow to alleviate the financial burden. It is also important for removing risks inherent in the operating mode of high-pressure hydro-generating units», he noted.

Member of the Management Board of JSC RusHydro Yuri Gorbenko announced in his report that construction work on the shore spillway is currently running round the clock by 2630 people and that, in addition, 3 concrete plants, 5 tower cranes, 12 self-propelled caterpillar and motor cranes, 10 concrete pumps and 21 concrete-mixers were engaged in the construction work. For the purpose of optimising the construction rate of the shore spillway, from February another 2 concrete mixers are to be added and the number of construction workers will go up to 3000. In addition, in March a fourth concrete plant will be started up, owing to the accelerated rate at which concrete is to be laid in May.

During the period from 1 January through 1 June 2010, 135,000 cubic metres of concrete are to be laid, 12,100 cubic metres of tunnels made, 310,000 cubic metres of earth and rock works carried out and 328.3 metric tonnes of equipment installed. Thanks to optimization of the work volume and organisation of measures to carry it out, the tasks involved in starting up the shore spillway will be fulfilled by 1 June 2010.

The restoration work at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP is fully on schedule, involving 2508 workers and 91 pieces of equipment. In 2009, 5.8 billion roubles were spent on work to restore the power plant and 2.8 billion roubles on the shore spillway. In 2010, it is planned to allocate 10.4 billion roubles for restoring the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP and 3.5 billion roubles for completing the spillway.

Hydro-units No. 5 and No. 6 are being prepared for start-up. The generators of these hydro-units are being dried and are also undergoing high-voltage testing. It is planned to start up hydro-units No. 5 and No. 6 on load during quarter 1 of 2010.

The upper bracket and the generator stator have been dismantled at hydro-unit No. 3 and the rotor rim is being sawn up. The equipment is being investigated in accordance with the approved program.

Full dismantlement of hydro-unit No. 4 is continuing for the purpose of studying the flange mountings of the hydro-turbine. The upper bracket, the generator rotor, foot bearing and turbine cover have already been dismantled. The wheel space and equipment of the hydro-unit are undergoing inspection. The shaft and rotor wheel of the turbine of hydro-unit No. 4 are being prepared for dismantling. The results of the inspections of construction units (not including the turbine water intake) have been received. The equipment is being examined in accordance with the approved program.

Work is nearing completion on hydro-unit No. 7 to install the mountings and forms for the bollards beneath the stator and the generator sleeve. The base pipelines for the industrial water supply, oil supply and air supply for the unit are being laid.

At hydro-unit No. 9, the bollards beneath the stator have been completely dismantled.

Work on hydro-units No. 1 and No. 8 is being carried out in accordance with the time schedule, as is the dismantling of hydro-unit No. 2. It is planned to complete the dismantling of the second hydro-unit by April 2010.

The entire technical equipment for restoring the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP will be delivered in stages, as it is completed and is ready for shipment. A time schedule has been drawn up for delivery of hydro-turbine and hydro-generator equipment up until January 2013. The rotor wheels for the hydro-turbines, which are 6.77 metres in diameter, will be brought by water from the LMZ works in St. Petersburg to Krasnoyarsk river port and thence, via the boat-lift of the Krasnoyarskaya HPP to the wharf on the tail-race of the Mainskaya HPP. From there, the hydro-turbine rotor wheels will be delivered to the installation site at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP by road train.

The super-heavy equipment, in particular, the power transformers, weighing about 340 metric tonnes, will be delivered by rail to the hydro-power equipment base in Sayanogorsk, and from there by road train to the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. A commission of specialists has inspected the Sayanogorsk — Mainskaya HPP — Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP road and have developed a technology for unloading and transporting the rotor wheels delivered by waterway for installation at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP site.