All of production departments (PDs) of Orenburgenergo, a branch of IDGC of Volga, PJSC (subsidiary of Rosseti, PJSC), brace for spring floods.
Orenburgenergo’s staff started removing the snow from approach ways and substations, clearing and deicing footpaths and cable trays, and checking drains well ahead of the thaw. At the present time, the technicians inspect power transmission lines for minor defects and, if necessary, strengthen the supports.
The Eastern, Central, Western, Northern, Orenburgskoe and Orskoe PDs reserved 35 boats and motor boats, 34 pumping mechanisms and 150 movable standby power sources to survive the flood season. 319 machines, communications equipment, fuel and lubricants, spare parts and materials are at hand to perform the recovery operations and eliminate any outages at flooded power facilities. The weathermen tell that the Orenburg region will be affected by spring floods, ice drifts and water rising during the first fortnight of April. However, the snow began to melt almost in all districts of the region. The current snow cover in the basin of the Ural and Sakmara rivers exceeds the normal value thus the settlements may suffer from flooding before the ice drift.
RES staff visit residents of rural settlements at risk to make them aware of the following electrical safety rules: — consider any equipment as if it is energized; — stay away from power transmission lines or transformer substations in the flooded areas; — never try to fix any faulty power equipment by yourself; — if your house is flooded, immediately switch off the circuit breaker and remove the safety plugs.
Extreme care must be taken when leaving the flooded area on floating crafts: — never float under power transmission lines to prevent electric shock that may happen even if you do not touch conductive parts as the distance between the rising water surface and wires becomes shorter.
 If you find any substation, damaged support, broken wire or sparkling in the flooded area, immediately contact the dispatch service of RES.