OREANDA-NEWS. September 25, 2012. As part of preparation for the 2012-2013 autumn and winter period, the companies of EuroSibEnergo Group have carried out extensive repairs to main equipment of plants, heating networks and power grids, as well as at buildings and constructions. Besides, power generation facilities are being upgraded according to approved schedules in order to improve reliability, decrease accident rate and ensure steady heat and electricity supply to consumers. This year, EuroSibEnergo has also extended the scope of its operations and starts the heating season in the regions including Taishet (the Irkutsk Region), Sayanogorsk (Khakassia), and Miass (the Chelyabinsk Region). Connection of consumers to the heating network will start on September 17 and continue up to the end of the month depending on climate and the schedules approved by local authorities. Overall, the Group’s enterprises are fully prepared for the heating season. Thus:

• In the course of preparation of JSC Irkutskenergo’s plants for uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers during the heating season, the Company’s specialists have repaired three hydroelectric units, 16 turbine units, and 32 boiler units. Besides, 23 kilometers of heating networks have been replaced. A total of RUB 3,061.6 million has been allocated for the investment program for reconstruction and re-equipment of the Company’s facilities. The upgrading program accounted for RUB 726 million. By the beginning of the heating season, 2.9 million tons of coal have been stored up at JSC Irkutskenergo’s TPPs.

• All systems and equipment of the Krasnoyarskaya HPP have been prepared for the autumn and winter season of 2012-2013. This has included major overhauls and current repairs of main equipment, buildings and constructions of the HPP. Besides, heating systems have been repaired, fire hydrants have been tested, wells have been insulated, and communication cables have been prepared. The amount allocated for preparation for the heating season has totaled RUB 105 million.

• This year, the repair fund of the Avtozavodskaya CHPP (Nizhny Novgorod) has amounted to RUB 206 million: RUB 97 million have been spent on repairing power equipment; purchase of materials and spare parts and repairs of buildings and constructions have totaled RUB 85 million and RUB 24 million respectively. Key measures have included major overhaul of seven generators, electrical motors and power transformers, as well as of two fuel oil reservoirs; lighting networks are being replaced and high-voltage bushings are being repaired; chimneys at Leninskaya and Severnaya boiler houses have been reconstructed.

• At JSC EnSer (Miass), turbine and pumping equipment of power water-heating boilers has been repaired. Extensive repair and renovation has been carried out at heating networks. As part of preparation for the 2012-2013 winter heating season, JSC EnSer has allocated RUB 54 million for major overhauls (excluding investment programs).

• As for Sayanogorsk Heating Networks, a separate subdivision of ZAO Baikalenergo (a subsidiary of JSC Irkutskenergo), major overhauls and current repairs have been completed at water supply and disposal facilities of Sayanogorsk, Maina, and Cheryomushki. Coal reserves comply with requirements and amount to 2.5 thousand tons. According to the plans for preparation for operating in autumn and winter the Company’s funds to be used under the repair and re-equipment program are expected to total RUB 13.3 million.

Currently, representatives of the above mentioned companies, as well as of other enterprises of the Group, participate in inspections conducted jointly with the representatives of the EMERCOM of Russia, the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor), as well as of local and regional authorities. Based on the results of the inspections, certificates of readiness for the 2012-2013 autumn and winter period will be issued in October.

Evgeny Fedorov, CEO of JSC EuroSibEnergo, commented, "In 2012, maintenance and repair works at EuroSibEnergo’s enterprises are carried out according to the schedule, and I am convinced that during the coming heating season, heat and electricity supply in the Company’s operating regions will be reliable . As we need to compensate for lack of water at the Yenisei cascade, a maximum load at our CHPPs is expected. Therefore, in 2012, we have carried out extensive maintenance and repair works at TPPs".