OREANDA-NEWS. JSC RusHydro (ticker symbol: MOEX, LSE: HYDR; OTCQX: RSHYY) announces that a new 640 MW hydropower unit was commissioned and put into commercial operation at the Company's Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant.

In 2013, three hydropower units were commissioned at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP with total installed capacity of 1,920 MW. The plant has produced 23 GWh in 2013.

The new unit is the seventh one that was put into commercial operation as part of rehabilitation and comprehensive modernization of the Sayano-Shushenskaya station. Currently, the working capacity of the 6,400 MW plant is 4,480 MW with seven units in operation. The restoration of the units No. 3 and 4 continues and is planned to be completed in March and June 2014 respectively.

The reconstruction of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant has now reached the final stage. The plant will be fully equipped with new up-to-date equipment with enhanced performance characteristics that meet all safety and reliability requirements by 2014. The useful life of the new units has been extended to 40 years and maximum efficiency now reaches 96.6%. They also have improved energy and cavitation features. The turbines will be fitted with a more efficient process protection system, which will automatically shut down the unit in case of any inadmissible deviations from controlled parameters.