This year, the capital and current repairs of heating grids started in mid-May after the previous heating season was over. By September 10, Heating Grids, an AO MOSENERGO branch, completed checking, repairing and testing all main heating lines that are operated by AO MOSENERGO. The total length of these lines is 2,345 km. In the process of repairs the company detected 4,712 damaged parts and repaired all of them. The company replaced 70 km of fully amortized pipes with new ones. AO MOSENERGO has laid 4.5 km of pipes insulated with polyurethane foam decreasing heat losses 2 - 3 times. The total length of PUF-insulated pipes extends 55 km.

In 2002, AO MOSENERGO installed 612 expansion bellows. Presently, the total amount of these devices exceeds 4,550 units. Expansion bellows compensate for the change in pipe diameters caused by the difference in water temperature. Expansion bellows make it possible to prevent water leaks in pipelines. In comparison with the seal-type valves that were used before, expansion bellows need no maintenance.

Last summer, AO MOSENERGO completed and tested two new pump stations. By mid-September, the company repaired and tested all 21 existing pump stations. Two of these stations—Setun and Khovrino pump stations—have been upgraded and equipped with modern automated control and safety processor-based systems. These systems are installed at almost all AO MOSENERGO's pump stations. They increase the reliability of the equipment and make it possible to launch and control the pump station from a district dispatch office, eliminating the need in on-site monitoring. The new equipment helps to save at each upgraded pump station up to 3 million kWt/hour of electric power annually. In addition, these pump stations are more reliable due to optimized operation mode, the option of automated and gradual launch of back-up pumps and simplified control procedures. Pump stations will be put into operation at the beginning of the heating season.

AO MOSENERGO's basic preparation for the heating season will guarantee a reliable heat supply for consumers in autumn and winter. During the previous heating period (2001 - 2002), there were no significant failures in operations at AO MOSENERGO. This was achieved through increasing the quality of repairs and the regularity of maintenance works in recent years. The repair of relatively small damages in summer helps to increase the reliability of the system at the time of the peak loads in autumn and winter. There are less and less instances when the company has to disconnect certain parts of the system to normalize operations. In 2001, the number of disconnections decreased by 34% as compared to the previous year, and by 47% as compared to 1999.

In 2002, AO MOSENERGO conducted winter preparations in strict accordance with established deadlines, in many instances by completing the work in advance. In addition to internal resources, the company also contracted independent construction companies.

AO MOSENERGO is prepared to supply heat to consumers as soon as the corresponding order is issued by the Moscow government. The company's branches operating in the Moscow region are also fully prepared for the winter peak load season.