RusHydro advocates for the active development of Russia's hydropower potential

RusHydro representatives are participating in key industry sessions at Russian Energy Week, currently being held in Moscow.

RusHydro Group, the flagship of Russia's green power industry, is dedicated to ensuring the reliable power supply and safe operation of power facilities while promoting sustainable power generation with a focus on low-carbon development. This commitment was discussed during the specialized session titled Advancing Hydropower: From Plans to Implementation.

In the current conditions of a changing world, the sustainable development of a country is impossible without the development of low-carbon energy sources. As RusHydro has noted, hydropower stands out as a key and long-term source of clean, renewable energy. Hydropower plants are among the cleanest types of energy generation, as they do not involve fuel combustion, resulting in no direct CO2 emissions during power generation and no dependence on fuel supplies. Russia ranks second in the world in terms of available hydropower resources, of which only 22% are currently utilized. Therefore, Russia possesses significant untapped hydroelectric potential, which represents a critical strategic resource for the country's economic and regional growth.

At the same time, RusHydro considers it appropriate to discuss accelerated infrastructure development, known as the 'supply economy'. This concept was mentioned in a recent speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It is crucial to accelerate the development of hydropower to ensure effective long-term planning for the energy sector and the country's economy as a whole.

In order to prevent the energy sector from becoming a constraining factor in a region's development, and to ensure that the choice of a generation source is made in advance, taking into account all the specifics and complex effects, it is necessary to transition to a long-term forecast of electricity demand and capacity, considering the possibilities of industrial development. It is of utmost importance to establish a system of interaction with regulators, consumers, and investors in energy-intensive projects with long-term investment plans (over 10 years).

The construction of hydropower plants is also relevant to the Far East, particularly in the context of implementing the President's directive for the development of energy capacity in the Far Eastern Federal District by 2050. Hydropower development also aligns with the Low Carbon Development Strategy of the Russian Federation. To achieve the objectives outlined in this document, including maintaining a hydropower share of at least 20% in the Unified Energy System of Russia until 2050, it is essential to commission new hydropower plants.

RusHydro emphasizes that hydroelectric power plants not only meet consumer demand for electricity but also provide protection against floods. In the spring of this year, RusHydro began designing top-priority flood control hydroelectric power plants in the Amur Region: Nizhne-Zeyskaya HPP (400 MW) and Selemdzhinskaya HPP (100 MW). The key task of the new hydropower plants will be to combat destructive floods in the Amur basin by delaying flood flows in reservoirs. Over the past 10 years, the region has experienced five severe floods, with hundreds of settlements and economic facilities in the Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region, and the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories exceeding the danger level. The construction of Nizhne-Zeyskaya and Selemdzhinskaya HPPs for flood control will enable the control of up to 85% of the Zeya River's flow.

According to the designers' calculations, the new power plants will offer flood protection to as many as one million people. In the southern and southeastern parts of the Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region, and Khabarovsk Territory, tens of thousands of hectares of arable land will be safeguarded from the adverse effects of flooding.

The construction of the Nizhne-Zeyskaya and Selemdzhinskaya HPPs will have complex socio-economic effects on the development of territories and related industries. The construction of HPPs will increase the number of jobs: the total number of people employed in the construction of HPPs during the "peak" years will be 8,000 to 10,000 people. According to preliminary calculations, the economic and flood control effects are 3 to 4 times greater than the investment costs of the projects. Additionally, HPP reservoirs create a strategic freshwater reserve and add value to other industries (up to 10% of the total investments in HPP construction). HPP reservoirs also contribute to a direct reduction in the region's carbon footprint by 78,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalents annually due to the difference between the absorption and emission of greenhouse gases by HPP reservoirs.

The Russian Energy Week International Forum is a key global platform for discussing current trends in the development of the modern fuel and energy sector. This event is traditionally held at the highest level, featuring the participation of leaders from the largest companies in the energy industry. In 2022, more than 70 events, with the involvement of over 270 speakers, were held as part of REW. The Forum attracted over 3,000 participants and media representatives from Russia, as well as 83 foreign countries and territories. The Forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, with the support of the Moscow City Government.

Official website of REW: rusenergyweek.com. For news about the event and the industry, please follow the official REW page on VK.