Gazprom commissions gas turbine at Cherepovets power plant
CHEREPOVETS. Nov 20 (Interfax) - Gazprom has started up a new 420-megawatt steam-gas turbine at the Cherepovetskaya District Power Plant (Cherepovetskaya GRES), an Interfax correspondent reported from the launch ceremony.
Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller took part in the ceremony along with Gazprom Mezhregiongaz LLC chief Kirill Seleznev and Gazprom Energoholding (GEH) CEO Denis Fyodorov.
The first phase of the power plant, which entered service in the 1970s, has three steam-gas power blocks, each with 210 MW of capacity. The annual average fuel balance at the plant was 85% coal/15% natural gas prior to launch of the new block and is forecast to shift to 52% coal/48% gas post-launch.
The new block was built under a capacity provision agreement that guarantees a fixed-rate return on investment.
The new capacity is obligated to begin supplying electricity to the wholesale market by December 1, 2014.
OJSC E4 Group was the general contractor for the construction.
The project cost 21.137 billion rubles including VAT (17.913 billion rubles excluding VAT), GEH said in materials. E4's contract was worth 14.6 billion rubles.