Sayano-Sushenskaya Hydro Power Plant Photo: Sayano Shushenskaja GESPutin calls for investigation of Russian hydropower plants after Sayano-Shushenskaya disasterNearly a month after the accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant in Siberia claimed 75 lives, Russian Premier Vladimir Putin has called for a thorough investigation of all hydropower ventures in the country. Stressing the need for a comprehensive and objective examination process, Putin demanded that an initial investigation be carried out regarding hydroelectric equipment, which plays a crucial role in the safety of the entire facilities.
Putin also expressed the need for control mechanisms to be strengthened at the state level, as the power plant in question had met with an accident in spite of obtaining all necessary licenses and permits. The facility had also undergone an inspection last year.
Putin expressed the opinion that compromising plant safety by subcontracting crucial functions to inexperienced third-party service providers, as well as cutting costs on safety-related measures, was detrimental to safety at these power plants. Putin proposed setting up monitoring mechanisms at hydropower dams and other crucial installations, similar to the "black boxes" on airplanes. Coordinated control between the systemic operator and individual plant-specific management and contractors was also suggested to alleviate future crisis situations.
With the Deputy Premier Igor Sechin accusing former personnel at the Sayano-Shushenskaya station of adopting unfair methods to secure work tenders for the project, Putin has also ordered a crackdown on corruption within the government.
Meanwhile, RusHydro OJSC (Moscow, Russia), the operator of the plant, has let the law take its course in nailing the guilty in this matter. The company is expected to incur significant expenditure in repairing damages caused by the disaster. According to RusHydro sources, the restoration process is expected to take a few months to complete. However, Putin has said that the plant will commence operations next year, and Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu has alleged that repair processes will last a few years. It is unclear how long it will take the project to get back on track.
The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya power plant in Siberia occurred on August 17, when the roof of the main turbine hall collapsed after the explosion of an oil-filled transformer, flooding the entire structure and trapping workers in rooms beneath the hall. Although the exact cause of the accident has not been determined, it has been attributed to a hydraulic fault, which resulted in the forced shutdown of all 10 power units of the plant. The oil spillage from the unit has formed a 3-mile oil slick on the Yenisei River. However, there was no damage to the dam structure.
Putin also expressed the need for control mechanisms to be strengthened at the state level, as the power plant in question had met with an accident in spite of obtaining all necessary licenses and permits. The facility had also undergone an inspection last year.
Putin expressed the opinion that compromising plant safety by subcontracting crucial functions to inexperienced third-party service providers, as well as cutting costs on safety-related measures, was detrimental to safety at these power plants. Putin proposed setting up monitoring mechanisms at hydropower dams and other crucial installations, similar to the "black boxes" on airplanes. Coordinated control between the systemic operator and individual plant-specific management and contractors was also suggested to alleviate future crisis situations.
With the Deputy Premier Igor Sechin accusing former personnel at the Sayano-Shushenskaya station of adopting unfair methods to secure work tenders for the project, Putin has also ordered a crackdown on corruption within the government.
Meanwhile, RusHydro OJSC (Moscow, Russia), the operator of the plant, has let the law take its course in nailing the guilty in this matter. The company is expected to incur significant expenditure in repairing damages caused by the disaster. According to RusHydro sources, the restoration process is expected to take a few months to complete. However, Putin has said that the plant will commence operations next year, and Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu has alleged that repair processes will last a few years. It is unclear how long it will take the project to get back on track.
The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya power plant in Siberia occurred on August 17, when the roof of the main turbine hall collapsed after the explosion of an oil-filled transformer, flooding the entire structure and trapping workers in rooms beneath the hall. Although the exact cause of the accident has not been determined, it has been attributed to a hydraulic fault, which resulted in the forced shutdown of all 10 power units of the plant. The oil spillage from the unit has formed a 3-mile oil slick on the Yenisei River. However, there was no damage to the dam structure.
