15 Sep 2009 15:36

Privately owned power cos must add 3.8 gigawatts of capacity in 2010

MOSCOW. Sept 15 (Interfax) - The privately owned territorial and wholesale generating companies in Russia are to add 3.8 gigawatts of new capacity in 2010, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in opening remarks at a Cabinet meeting.

The state-owned power companies are to complete 2 gigawatts of new capacity next year, he said.

"Companies controlled by the government should introduce roughly 2 gigawatts of generating capacity in 2010. Private investors that have acquired assets in the power industry as part of reforms at RAO UES are planning to build another 3.8 gigawatts of capacity," he said.

The top priorities for investment programs in the power industry are to raise the reliability of energy supplies and build new, modern power plants, he said.

Putin said the new owners of private generating companies have pledged to fulfill the investment programs.

A shortage of power was the most acute problem Russian industry encountered during its period of active growth, he said. "We do not have the right to let this scenario repeat itself during this new stage of post-crisis recovery and development," he said.