On the 3rd February, in the scope of a working visit to Orel, Director General of JSC IDGC Holding Nikolay Shvets, Director General of IDGC of the Center Yevgeny Makarov and Chairman of the Energy Committee of the State Duma Yuri Lipatov, and the Region’s management inspected utility facilities and assessed implementation of advanced technologies in Orelenergo, a branch of IDGC of the Center.

A meeting was held in the scope of the visit to discuss preparation for and operation by Orelenergo during the autumn/winter load peak in 2009-2010. As Branch Director Sergey Zorin noted in his report, “the Branch ensured smooth operation during this critical period despite very low temperatures”.

Guests inspected the company’s Network Control Center upgraded last year and visited 110/6 kW substation Zapadnaya, where the first stage of reconstruction was completed.

Yuri Lipatov, Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma for Utility Industry pointed out that “Orelenergo acquired a very positive image by duly meeting its obligations to consumers”. “Trust me, I know how other companies perform. What we saw today is a brilliant result of the utility industry reform. The Government must be involved in such projects and assist utility companies in attracting investors”, Yuri Lipatov said.

The Zapadnaya substation is an instrumental facility in the Region’s capital. It supplies electricity to social facilities, utility facilities and residential houses in Zavodskoy and Zheleznodorozhniy Districts of Orel. One third of the substation’s capacities are used by major industrial and construction businesses.

“The launch of the first stage of the substation is an important step in securing reliable electricity supply to Orel and Region residents. I am sure that the electric utility industry will achieve its objectives and will commission this advanced utility facility in due time”, underlined Director General of JSC IDGC Holding Nikolay Shvets.

The reconstruction will enable the company to increase the substation’s capacity from 50 to 126 MWA and connect new residential communities Zarechenskiy in Orel and Landshaft in Orlovskiy District to the network.

The Governor of the Orel Region Aleksandr Kozlov highly appreciated the performance of IDGC of the Center. “It is surely a breakthrough for Orel residents. We may now confidently invite investors in these districts. All they need is just to come and work; they all will have enough electricity”, said the Governor.

At this point the substation launched its first 110/10/6 kW 63 MWA power transformer, and the building of an indoor 6 kV switchgear combined with the general substation control facility has been constructed. The second power facility will be launched in 2010.

Director General of IDGC of the Center Yevgeny Makarov underlined the key feature of the substation reconstruction: it was carried out without stopping and taking operating equipment out from service. The capacity increase will allow developing residential communities, industrial and social infrastructure facilities.

Acting Mayor of Orel Viktor Safyanov underlined that the “performance of the electric utility industry directly impacts the performance of other industries; therefore, special attention must be paid to the electric utility industry”. “I believe that local government and electric utility authorities must join their efforts for we share our objectives. The city’s Administration is ready to support reconstruction of this advanced substation”, said Viktor Safyanov.

The distribution grid company is planning to complete the whole reconstruction project in late September 2010. The overall cost of the project will be 420 million rubles.