OREANDA-NEWS. On 30 April 2009 was announced, that Nizhnevartovsk GRES will hold preliminary stage of the public hearings in Izluchinsk on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Construction and Operation of the 3rd Unit.

The preliminary stage of the public hearings will provide general information on the project and its participants. Local population will get an opportunity to ask their questions. The next stage of the public hearings is planned to be held in the 3rd quarter of the year. It will include answers to the questions and a detailed project presentation.

The objective of the public hearings is to insure the highest transparency of information on the project, obtain comments from interested parties and local population, and facilitate efforts for preventing and mitigating potential unfavorable socioeconomic and environmental implications related to the construction and operation of the 3rd Unit.

The Project is implemented by the Joint Venture of ОGК-1 and TNК-BP - CJSC Nizhnevartovskaya GRES.

3rd Unit will be built next to two operating Units of the GRES located in the bend of the Vakh River, approximately 4 km of Izluchinsk, Nizhnevartovsk region. At present the installed capacity of NVGRES located in the region with high power consumption is 1600 MW. Commissioning of the 3rd Unit with capacity up to 900 MW will enable to increase the volume of electric power supplied to the consumers in Tyumen region. Basically these are the oil and gas producers consuming 87% of electric energy in the region.

The Unit built with modern technology and up-to-date equipment is expected to become one of the most advanced not only in Russia but also in Europe. The Project is developed in accordance with national and international environmental and social standards and regulations.

The ESIA materials contain evaluation of the present environmental conditions, development area of the 3rd Unit Nizhnevartovsk GRES, potential impact of its construction and operation, as well as environmental actions and proposals to set up environmental monitoring program.

The primary favorable effect of the Project in the region is expected to be socioeconomic, and particularly, on the labor market. Thus, during the construction stage, it is planned to create temporary jobs that would be needed approximately for 2 years. According to the estimates, up to 100 permanent jobs will be created following the power plant commissioning. Nizhnevartovsk GRES cooperates with the local employment services in order to expand the opportunities for job placement of the local population.

Commissioning of the 3rd Unit Nizhnevartovsk GRES will enhance reliability of power supply for consumers that will enable to attract investments in the development of new regional projects and accordingly increase various fiscal budget contributions. This will result in extra resources available for investment in infrastructure and community services of Izluchinsk and Nizhnevartovsk region.

All those interested in construction and operations of 3rd Unit Nizhnevartovsk GRES are invited to consultations, particularly, residents of Izluchinsk and Nizhnevartovsk region, representatives of public, environmental and trade union organizations, small, medium and big business, science and art, and government authorities.

All interested parties and local population could have read the initial documents on ESIA in public places, for instance on special stands of Arlekino Cultural & Recreational Center, and Nizhnevartovsk GRES Web page at: http://www.ogk1.com/?ch=pl&id=5).

Project comments can be submitted personally during public hearings by dropping in writing in special boxes of Arlekino Cultural & Recreational Center during the public hearings; or in advance, by contacting the PR & Mass Media Section of CJSC Nizhnevartovsk GRES at the telephone number: (3466) 69-79-16, by email NParfenova@nvgres.ogk1.ru, and by regular post: 628634, Izluchinsk, Nizhnevartovsk region, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, Nizhnevartovsk GRES - JSC OGK-1 branch, PR & Mass Media Section.