The equipment replacement campaign at the Mamakan hydroelectric power plant is fully underway. The plant supplies energy to Polyus assets in the Irkutsk region, and work is currently underway to upgrade the 110 kV open switchgear.
Polyus is midway through the second stage of the 4-year modernization program. We have installed new SF6 circuit breakers, additional current transformers and new remotely controlled polymeric isolators. The newly upgraded equipment will result in improved personnel safety and lower operating costs.
Evgeny Kolesnikov, Operational Director of Mamakan HPP, commented:“We are taking every step to ensure our equipment is up-to-date. We are now in the second year of the modernization program and we are upgrading our equipment, while simultaneously ensuring that the HPP is operating at full capacity from May to September. Our working window during the year is short. This requires us to optimize the equipment upgrade schedule during the winter in order to ensure the effectiveness of prescheduled work during the short warmer period, when the HPP is not operating at full capacity.
There is still work to be done: this year we are undertaking an integrated assessment of all equipment in the HPP in order to develop our future strategy.”