RusHydro sets outline plan for units at Sayano-Shushenskaya

A further body has been found at the wreckage, taking the number of fatalities to 74 with one worker still missing. The accident happened due to an explained incident with the hydraulic system at generating unit No 2 on 17 August.

Workers were evacuated when the fire started in the damaged powerhouse on Wednesday. The fire was brought under control and extinguished, and no one was injured. The cause was not immediately known.

The board of the Russian hydropower utility has approved a preliminary plan to repair the powerhouse that involves; replacing six generating units (Nos 1, 2, 7-10), possibly with units of larger capacity; and, partial reconstruction of the other four, for which temporary start-up is planned. No schedule has been given.

RusHydro, which has estimated the repair of the plant may take 2-3 years, described the impact of the accident on the equipment as follows: - one turbine (unit No 2) was completely destroyed;

• Three generators were destroyed (Nos 2, 7 and 9);

• Both electrical and mechanical damage of varying degree affected five units (Nos 1, 3, 4, 8 and 10);

• Electrical damage only to the generator was found on one unit, on a preliminary estimate (No5);

• Flood damage only to another generator (No 6).

In the tailrace area, the cable tunnels and galleries of units No 2, 7 and 9 all collapsed.

Eventually, RusHydro and emergency workers were able to close the accident and repair valve of unit No2 and stop the inflow from the reservoir to the flooded powerhouse. Shortly afterwards the spillway gates were partly opened.

The units were installed over 1978-85 at the plant, which is located at the foot of a concrete gravity arch dam on the Yenisei river in Siberia.

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