Speaking to the press at the experimental Kislaya Guba plant in Murmansk, a major seaport in Russia’s northwest, Chubais said: ‘Russia has fantastic opportunities to build several tidal power plants. [Today] we saw unique technologies not in blueprints but in action. If these technologies turn out to meet desired parameters, we shall start a huge endevour of unprecedented support.’
The plant uses an orthogonal turbine that retains its rotation direction at tide and ebb alike. The experimental unit was designed by the NIIES research institute for power industrial construction from an order by Intergeocom, and was manufactured by Sevemash, based in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region.
‘This is not merely Russia’s first tidal plant – it is using the world’s first orthogonal unit invented by Russians to work for a tidal plant,’ continued Chubais.
The new machinery requires less metal than conventional designs and takes half the time and money to manafacture, claims Evgeni Ustinov, chief of PR for Kolenergo, Kislaya Guba plant proprietor.
The meeting in Murmansk follows a conference two years ago where the new technology was proposed. Its use in the Kislsya Guba demonstrates that the target for implementing it has been met.
The Kislaya Guba plant was commissioned in 1968, and has had its work suspended for the last ten years. Between 1970 and 1994 it produced a total of 8.018MkWh.
Intergeocom is ready with blueprints for a 12MkW plant in Mezen, Arkhangrlsk region, and a 8MkW plant in Tugur on the Okhotsk sea, according to sources
