OREANDA-NEWS. December 22, 2011. JSC RusHydro (ticker symbol: HYDR; MICEX and LSE, RSHYY; OTCQX) announces that the new hydro-power unit #1 has been put into industrial operation at the Company's Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin turned on hydro-power unit #1 using a remote operating console specially installed in the HPP's generator hall.

The hydro-power unit #1 is the fifth hydro-unit put into operation at the plant, but unlike the first four, which have been restored and put into operations in 2010, this hydro-unit is brand new.  The launch of hydro-unit #1 signifies a first step of the second phase in restoration of the Sayano-Shusheskaya HPP, in the course of which nine more new units will be installed in the HPP's generator hall (including four to replace the units launched in 2010).

Until 2014 three units will be launched at Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP annually. In the result, by 2014 the plant will be fully equipped with the newest equipment with enhanced operational characteristics, meeting all reliability and safety requirements. The new hydro-power units' lifespan will be extended up to 40 years, with a maximum turbine efficiency of 96.6%. Its power and cavitation characteristics will also be enhanced. The turbines will be equipped with an advanced process safeguard system, which automatically shuts down a unit in case of unacceptable deviations of monitored parameters.

Prior to putting hydro-power unit #1 into operation, commissioning work was conducted. In the course of commissioning work, operational tests for all operating regimes were carried out, including operating under load. A program of operational tests was approved by Power Machines, which manufactured the equipment.

A contract to manufacture basic power equipment to restore the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP was concluded between RusHydro and Power Machines in November 2009. In accordance with the contract, Power Machines is to produce ten hydro-turbines, nine hydro-generators with a capacity of 640 MW per generator and six excitation systems (one new generator and four excitation systems have already been manufactured and installed in hydro-power units put into operation after repair in 2010).