OREANDA-NEWS. October 14, 2011. JSC RusHydro (ticker symbol: RTS, MICEX, LSE: HYDR; OTCQX: RSHYY) announces the completion of construction of the onshore spillway of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant.

Delegation led by Igor Sechin, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, visited the facility to make an inspection and sign the certificate of readiness. The delegation was accompanied by Evgeny Dod, Chairman of the Management Board of RusHydro, and Victor Zimin, Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Khakassia, as well as representatives of energy companies, design and construction companies. The guests inspected the facilities of the spillway and witnessed the operation of the whole structure in full capacity, i.e. the water passing through two tunnels with regulating valves open to the maximum.

Commissioning of spillway was preceded by pre-operational tests of the facility, which took place from September 28 till October 1, 2011. The tests included step-by-step opening of segmental gates at the inlet crown until fully opened (9.5 meters), enabling water passing through the structural elements ready for operation: two tunnels, five-spot drop and tail race. At that maximum water flow passage over the spillway amounted to 3000 m3/s. The tests have shown that hydraulic engineering structures are in satisfactory operational condition and the spillway is ready for commissioning and constant operation.

Construction of the onshore spillway for Sayano-Shushenskaya plant in addition to the existing dam spillway was initiated in 2005 to considerably increase the reliability and safety of hydraulic engineering structures of the power plant. Spillway is intended primarily for passage of extreme floods and may also be in occasionally used for passage of common floods. The Sayano-Shushenskaya  onshore spillway shall allow additional water flow passage of up to 4000 m3/s.

 "With the newly constructed facility we also enhanced security of the power plant and the people who live downstream the Yenisei",  said Igor Sechin at the working meeting on recovery operations at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power plant. He also added "I would like to thank the designers, constructors, power plant employees for the work they have done".