‘We are going to introduce some new units that will allow us to produce 800 megawatt and, moreover, combine the production of thermal energy with electricity which will, in its turn, lead to a smaller prime cost,’ Leonid Chetverkin, Managing Director of the local subsidiary of TGK-9 JSC, generating company, announced at today’s press conference.

According to Mr Chetverkin, TGK-9 is producing plenty of energy now. During the cold weather week, for example, the company had been producing 1,000 megawatt more than was actually needed for Sverdlovsk region, so 1,700 megawatt of extras was given to the other regions.

‘Even though we had to sue more expensive fuels in December, we still produced 6% more of electricity and 15% more of heat, so the company might actually make more profits than elsewhen,’ Mr Chetverkin said.

‘Yet we still have to maintain the equipment, and we had 4,500 kilometers of lines repaired in 2005. The same is going to be fixed in 2006, though in the best of all possible worlds, 10,000 kilometers of lines should be taken care of annually,’ Mr Chetverkin noted.