OREANDA-NEWS. On 17 April 2009 was announced, that An-124-100 "Ruslan" cargo plane of Polet aviation company arrived at Bratsk airport from St. Petersburg. It delivered a new 5th water wheel for the hydraulic generator No.15 of Bratsk HPS. A special road-train is used for transportation of the wheel up to the place of destination; the transportation of the water wheel up to the machine hall is carried out by JSC "BMU "GEM". A delivery of the wheel into the machine hall to the assembly site No.1 is carried out by JSC "GES-remont". The diameter of the wheel is 5.58 meters; the height is 2.7 meters, the weight is 85 tons. The capacity on the shaft of the new water wheel is 255 megawatt that allows to increase generation of the electric power at a higher efficiency coefficient.

The contract for delivery of six wheels for re-equipment of water-wheels of Bratsk HPS was signed between JSC Irkutskenergo and JSC "Power Machines" in October 2004. The first wheel for hydraulic unit No.16 of BHPS was delivered to Bratsk on 6 October 2006; on 20 March 2007 the hydraulic unit was put in operation after major overhaul; tests in situ we held in September, following the results of which the declared efficiency coefficient was received on the level of 95.3 percent. The second wheel for hydraulic unit No.17 was delivered to Bratsk on 10 October 2007; it has been in operation since 28 March 2008. The third wheel for hydraulic unit No.14 was delivered to Bratsk on 11 April 2008; it has been in operation since 1 October 2008. The fourth driving wheel for hydraulic unit No.18 was delivered to Bratsk on 29 December 2008; now the works on its installation are held. All works on the project of replacement of 6 wheels at Bratsk HPS are planned to be completed in July 2010.

The reconstruction of hydraulic wheels with replacement of water wheels is carried out within the limits of the investment program of JSC Irkutskenergo in order to improve an overall performance of the equipment of the station. According to the contract with JSC "Power Machines", six old wheels are to be replaced which were among the first installed wheels and which were put in operation during the lowered discharge from 1961 to 1964 at filling the water basin up to the design marks. As of 1 April 2009, the additional generation at the reconstructed units equaled 445 million kWh. The total investments in replacement of the wheels amounted to RUR 560 million; the discounted payback period of the project is 7 years[1]; the additional generation of the electric power at six hydraulic units will be 815 million kWh a year.

JSC Irkutskenergo is the largest power company in Siberia and one of the largest power companies in Russia, including thermal and hydroelectric power stations, and thermal networks. The installed capacity of power stations of the company is 12.9 GW, including hydroelectric power stations (more than 9 GW). The State owns a 40% share holding. A large share holding of the company is managed by the largest Russian independent power company EuroSibEnergo in interests of En + Group.

[1] On the assumption of its realization as a joint project within the limits of Kyoto Protocol.