Fortum commissions new production unit at its Chelyabinsk power plant in Russia
Fortum corporation, Press release, 2011-06-07 14:03 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Fortum has commissioned the second unit of its extensive Russian investment
programme in Chelyabinsk, West Siberia. The new combined heat and power plant
(CHP) unit at Chelyabinsk CHP-3 started capacity sales in the beginning of June
and its inauguration was held today. The first unit in the investment programme
was inaugurated in December 2010 in Tyumen and taken into commercial operation
in February this year.
”The inauguration of the new unit is a significant event for us and another
step forward in Russia's power market. Implementation of our investment
programme plays a key role as we create solid earnings growth and improve
energy efficiency in Russia,” President and CEO Tapio Kuula said today in
Chelyabinsk. ”Sustainable solutions are at heart of Fortum's strategy. The
energy-efficiency of our new unit at Chelyabinsk CHP-3 is top-notch and its
commissioning reduces carbon-dioxide emissions in the region by approximately
800 000 tonnes until 2012,” Mr. Kuula continued.
Chelyabinsk CHP-3's new unit is the region's first modern natural gas-fired
combined-cycle gas plant producing electricity with gas and steam turbines. Its
combined-cycle gas turbine technology represents the best available technology
in gas-fired power production. The unit's fuel consumption is 20 per cent lower
than that of existing gas-fired units in Russia, and its efficiency in CHP
production increases to 77 per cent. The new unit's electricity production
capacity is 226 megawatts (MW) and heat production capacity 142 MW. The
commissioning increases the entire power plant's electricity production
capacity to 586 MW and heat production capacity to 1,411 MW.
Fortum's subsidiary in Russia, OAO Fortum, has committed to implementing an
investment programme that will increase its electricity production capacity
from the current approximately 2,800 MW to about 5,100 MW. The investment
programme consists of eight units, which Fortum plans to commission by the end
of 2014. In addition to the two units already commissioned this year in Tyumen
and Chelyabinsk, the Tobolsk power plant's new 200-MW unit will be completed
this autumn. Fortum is also constructing a completely new power plant in Nyagan
in the North Urals region. The plant will have three natural gas-fired 418-MW
electricity production units. The first of them will be commissioned in 2012.
Fortum Corporation
Corporate Communications
Images from Chelyabinsk (the link is valid until 20.06.2011)
Additional information:
Sophie Jolly, Vice President, Investor Relations, Fortum, tel. +358 (0)40
8287317
About the Chelyabinsk region
The Chelyabinsk region is located on the east side of the Ural Mountains in
West Siberia. The region is known for its metallurgy industry, and it has a
population of more than 3.6 million people. Fortum has five combined heat and
power plants in the Chelyabinsk region, four of them are in the city of
Chelyabinsk and one in the nearby city of Argayash.
About the Chelyabinsk CHP-3 power plant
Chelyabinsk CHP-3 is the newest power plant in the Chelyabinsk region. Its
first production unit (180 MW) was commissioned in 1996 and the second (180 MW)
in late 2006. The production capacity of the natural gas-fired power plant is
586 MW electricity and 1,411 MW heat.
Fortum in brief
Fortum's purpose is to create energy that improves life for present and future
generations. We provide sustainable solutions that fulfil the needs for low
emissions, resource efficiency and energy security, and deliver excellent value
to our shareholders. Our activities cover the generation, distribution and sale
of electricity and heat as well as expert services for the energy industry.
Fortum's operations focus on the Nordic countries, Russia and Baltic Rim area.
Europe's integrating energy markets and the rapidly growing Asian energy
markets also offer growth opportunities in the future. In 2010 Fortum's sales
totalled EUR 6.3 billion and comparable operating profit was EUR 1.8 billion.
The Group employs approximately 10,500 people. Fortum's shares are quoted on
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. For more information: www.fortum.com
