Belarus and the EDB are carrying out regulatory work on attracting loans for the construction of the Polotsk HPP

September 29, Minsk / Anna Kot - BELTA /. Belarus and the Eurasian Development Bank are carrying out regulatory work on attracting loans for the construction of the Polotsk Hydroelectric Power Station, Igor Gritskevich, acting deputy general director for ideological and social work of RUP Vitebskenergo, told a BELTA correspondent. The implementation of the project "Construction of the Polotsk HPP on the Western Dvina River" has been approved by the currency and credit commission of the Council of Ministers of Belarus. The construction of the Polotsk HPP is envisaged by the Concept of Energy Security of Belarus until 2020. The Polotsk HPP will be the first in a cascade of small hydroelectric power stations, which are planned to be built in the Vitebsk region on the Western Dvina by 2014. The Polotsk HPP will be located ten kilometers from the city, upstream in the area of the village of Luchno. In the future, Vitebsk, Beshenkovichi and Verkhnedvinsk HPPs will appear in the Pridvinsky region. The total capacity of all these hydroelectric power stations will be 125-130 MW. Igor Gritskevich also spoke about the implementation of other measures by Vitebskenergo. The enterprise has concluded an agreement for the production and supply of equipment for the replacement of a turbine at the Vitebsk Thermal Power Plant. "Regulatory work with the supplier company is being carried out according to the agreed schedule," he emphasized. RUP Vitebskenergo is carrying out measures to prepare for the heating season. To ensure reliable power supply in the autumn-winter period of 2010/2011, the branch of RUP Vitebskenergo "Energonadzor" conducted unscheduled operational inspections of 133 consumers with electricity receivers of the first and special first category of reliability of electricity supply. These are mainly healthcare facilities, housing and communal services, and water supply. A schedule for оформление and registration of readiness passports for the autumn-winter period by enterprises and organizations of the city of Vitebsk and the Vitebsk region has been developed and approved. In accordance with it, schedules for the completion of preparatory work and the оформление of readiness passports have been drawn up for each administrative district for each supervised consumer and departmental heat source. These schedules have been sent to all supervised consumers and posted on the information boards of inter-district departments and district energy inspectorates. Representatives of "Energonadzor" are included in the operational groups for coordinating preparatory preventive and repair work, and creating the necessary fuel reserves for operation in the autumn-winter period of 2010/2011, created at all city and district executive committees of the region. "Energonadzor" staff participate in commissions for checking the readiness of electricity and heat installations of consumers, departmental heat sources and energy supply organizations for operation in the upcoming heating period. As of September 21, a total of 2134 readiness passports have been registered in Vitebsk and the Vitebsk region, which is 51.4% of the required number. "Work on preparing for the heating season is progressing in the established order and will be completed within the planned deadlines," said Igor Gritskevich. The regional department of energy and electrification of the Vitebsk region was established on January 1, 1963, on the basis of regional power grids. In 1989, with the inclusion of the Lukomlskaya TPP and Novopolotskaya TPP, REU Vitebskenergo was transformed into a production association of energy and electrification, and since 2000 - into a republican unitary enterprise "Vitebskenergo". Currently, RUP Vitebskenergo includes 18 branches. The installed electrical capacity of the largest energy system in Belarus is more than 40% of the capacity of all power plants of Belenergo State Production Association. The production of electricity is 11-15 billion kWh per year, and the supply of thermal energy is 5-6 million Gcal. 11.6 thousand people work in the system. -0-