Russia launches first line of power bridge to Crimea

SIMFEROPOL, Dec 3 (PRIME) -- Russian power utility Krymenergo launched the first line of a power bridge connecting the Krasnodar Region with Crimea late on Wednesday.

Crimea was completely cut off power supplies late on November 21 due to an explosion at four power transmission lines connecting Ukraine with Crimea. Ukrenergo was not able to restore power supplies to the peninsula despite completion of repairs at one of the damaged power lines due to actions of Crimea blockage participants.

The power bridge, crossing the Kerch Strait, will significantly reduce a power deficit in Crimea. The peninsula will be fully ensured with own power generation and flows from Russia’s unified power system once the bridge’s second stage launch scheduled for May 2016.

“This will be a reliable own power generation system connected with Russia’s main power system, and also own power system by 2017–2018,” President Vladimir Putin, who participated in the launch ceremony, said. “Own system will be bigger than we received from Ukraine, that’s why we will ensure a possibility for Crimea’s development for quite a serious period of time, at least for a short term,” Putin said.

The newly-launched bridge has eliminated Crimea’s critical dependence on power supplies from Ukraine, Crimea’s head Sergei Aksyonov said.

The first line will allow Russia to transfer around 200 megawatts (MW) of electric power from the Krasnodar Region to Crimea and another 200 MW are expected to start arriving on December 20.

The additional 400 MW of power, which Crimea will start receiving after December 20, will contribute to ensuring 80–90% of Crimea’s power demand, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told Rossiya 24 television channel.

The safety of the power bridge is fully ensured, Novak also said.

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