FGC completes phase one of project to supply power to future Vostochny cosmodrome
VLADIVOSTOK. March 12 (Interfax) - Federal Grid Company UES (FGC) has completed the first phase of work to supply electricity to the future Vostochny cosmodrome in Amur Region.
The first phase involved the comprehensive modernization of the 220 kV Ledyanaya substation, paving the way for connecting the future facility's power receivers to the unified national electricity grid and delivery of 120.9 MW of power, Main Power Grids of the East (MES Vostoka), a branch of FGC, said in a statement.
FGC spent a total of more than 530 million rubles on the first phase of the project, MES Vostoka chief executive Sergei Smirnov was quoted as saying.
In future, there are plans to connect the cosmodrome's power receivers to another FGC substation, the 500 kV Amurskaya, in order to ensure reliable outside power supplies to the airport and two launch facilities.
Outdoor switchgear has been expanded at Ledyanaya, a new substation control house has been built and outfitted with the latest relay protection and automation, and high voltage control equipment.
Vostochny is a future cosmodrome with an area of about 700 square km in eastern Russia, construction of which began in the middle of 2012. The first carrier rocket is scheduled to launch at the end of 2015 and the first launch of a piloted spacecraft is scheduled for 2018.
MES Vostoka services Khabarovsk Territory, Primorye, Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region and southern Yakutia, a combined area of about 2 million square km with a population of 4.8 million. The branch operates 80 220-500 kV substations with combined capacity of 15,215 MVA and more than 13,400 km of 220-500 kV power lines.
