PJSC RusHydro has announced that in August 2018 Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power plant , Russia’ largest hydropower plant by installed capacity, produced a record breaking high amount of electricity – 3.49 TWh. The previous record of 3.1 bn TWh was set in August 2016. In addition, on August 22, 2018 the daily output record of 119 GWh was set.
In a statement, RusHydro said the record output was a result of a combination of factors, including favorable hydrological conditions, improved coordination of the plant’s regime with the System Operator, increase in the plant’s available capacity to 5GW due to the modernization of automation system of Integrated Energy System of Siberia and commissioning of a new transmission line linking Khakassia and Krasnoyarsk region energy systems. For two weeks, from August 15 to August 31, all ten hydropower turbines have been in operation simultaneously for the first time in the history of the plant.
The installed capacity of Sayano-Shushenskaya is 6.4GW, making it the largest hydropower plant in Russia. Project average annual long-run output is 23.5 bn kWh. The plant also has the highest dam in Russia (242m). Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower complex also includes 321MW counter-regulator Maynskaya hydropower plant.
Extensive refurbishment was carried out at the project following a fatal incident in August 2009. Work was completed in 2014.