En+ Group to replace hydraulic units at Bratsk HPP to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.3 MTPA

En+ Group, the world’s leading producer of low-carbon aluminium and largest private sector generator of hydropower, announced that it again indulged in a large-scale “New Energy" modernisation programme by replacing six hydraulic units at the Group’s Bratsk HPP. The replacement works, to be taken place from 2021 to 2026, would cost more than 1.5 billion roubles for this stage.

The outcome of the project will see all 18 impellers replaced, of which 12 had already been replaced at the earlier stages of the modernisation programme during 2007-10 and 2014-17.

Russian specialists have completed several months of testing on the new hydro turbine model, as well as tests on its operation in various load modes.

Mikhail Hardikov, head of En+ Group's energy sector, said: "We are continuing our work under the “New Energy” programme at all of our hydroelectric power plants in 2021. The results obtained during the first stages of the programme have already justified our investment in the project. All 12 new impellers at the Bratsk HPP have already demonstrated improvements in all key areas. Their efficiency has increased, and the HPP has been able to generate additional electricity without increasing its water consumption. The impellers that we will install this year are also designed to increase efficiency at the HPP."

From 2022, En+ Group’s Siberian hydroelectric power plants are expected to increase their production of environmentally friendly electricity by 2 billion kWh, resulting in reducing the Group’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2.3 million tonnes per year.