RusHydro has started commercial operations of as two hydropower units, officially completing the first stage of Ust’-Srednekanskaya hydropower plant on the Kolyma river in the Magadan region of Russia.
Located 9km up the stream from the mouth of Srednekan River, the plant, which has an average daily output of 1.5GWh, is likely to produce 245GWh of electricity by the end of the year.
Having completed the first stage, the company will continue to work on the second stage, which calls for the increase of the water head from current to project level of 260 to 276.5m and commissioning of the third hydro-unit.
The water head increase will allow for higher capacity and also help protect communities, located down the Kolyma River during floodings.
The plant, which is the second in the cascade of hydropower plants on the Kolyma river, is expected to provide energy for the developing mining operations in the region as well as a liquefied hydrogen facility, which is being developed by RusHydro and Kawasaki.
Altogether, the plant commissioning will enable reliable energy supply for both industrial and household consumers in the Magadan energy system.