OREANDA-NEWS. Inter RAO Group Announced Operating Results for 1H 2015.

Installed power generation capacity across Inter RAO Group increased by 635.9 MW from late 2014 to early 2015. This change reflects the addition of new Capacity Delivery Agreement (CDA) facilities with combined installed capacity of 867 MW, including the second power generation unit at Yuzhnouralskaya TPP-2 rated at 417 MW, as well as the eighths and the ninth power generation units at Cherepetskaya TPP, each rated at 225 MW.

The Group has also upgraded turbines at the Omsk power plants under the CDA program, increasing the total installed capacity of JSC TGK-11 by 30 MW. Upon the recertification of the first power generation unit at Yuzhnouralskaya TPP-2, its installed capacity increased by 9.4 MW to 417.4 MW, while the capacity of Urengoyskaya TPP increased by 14.4 MW to 474.4 MW. At the same time, the power generation capacity of Yuzhnouralskaya TPP and Verkhnetagilskaya TPP reduced by 276 MW altogether, and the capacity of Bashkir power plants reduced by 36 MW altogether due to retirement of legacy equipment.

Reduction of installed heat production capacity also resulted from the retirement of the aforementioned legacy assets.

The increase in power generation by the Russian assets of Inter RAO Group primarily reflects the addition of new capacity to Nizhnevartovskaya TPP and Yuzhnouralskaya TPP-2, and the increased utilization of Kostromskaya TPP and Gusinoozyorskaya TPP by the System Operator. The Bashkir power plants were able to increase their electricity output as they had fewer repairs than in the first quarter of 2014. However, many of the Group's Russian power plants reduced their output due to reduced utilization of commercially unsustainable power generation units in order to cut losses (using the Selection of Active Generation Equipment technology), and also due to a larger amount of repairs at power generation units in the second quarter of 2015.

Reduction of heat output reflects the overall warmer weather during the winter of 2015.

The most significant drop in production is attributable to Ekibastuzskaya TPP-2 in Kazakhstan and reflects lower demand for electricity produced by power plants with significant investment tariff. Razdan TPP in Armenia also contributed to the overall reduction as per decisions of the Energy System Operator. However, Inter RAO power plants in other countries increased their output: Moldova TPP increased deliveries from Transnistria to Moldova due to discontinuation of deliveries from Ukraine; the Georgian hydro plants increased their output due to heavy precipitation in 2015; and Trakiya TPP in Turkey increased its output following the completion of repairs in 2014.