Power Industry Production and Performance Characteristics

According to the 2000 energy balance of electricity production and consumption of the Russian Federation, power output was 534.6 bln kWh, with HPPs producing 164.5 bln kWh, NPPs producing 128.9 bln kWh, and isolated generating plants producing 34.9 bln kWh. In the first six months of 2001, TPPs produced 269.9 bln kWh of electric power, HPPs produced 88.3 bln kWh, NPPs produced 66.6 kWh, and isolated generating plants produced 18.6 bln kWh.

Among energy producers the share of the Unified Energy Systems holding in 2000 was 72.17%, that of outside AO-Energos (Irkutskenergo and Tatenergo), 8.84%, that of NPPs, 14.94%, and that of isolated generating plants, 4.04%. In the first six months of 2001, the share of Unified Energy Systems was 72.08%, that of outside AO-Energos, 8.71%, that of NPPs, 15.02%, and that of isolated generating plants, 4.19%.

In 2000, Unified Energy Systems' enterprises accounted for 32.7% of heat supply in the Russian Federation, and in the first six months of 2001, against the background of continuing growth in heat consumption, the holding company's share in the nation-wide heat supply grew to 33.4%.

Since 1999, the dynamics of electricity production in the Russian Federation has been positive; power output grew to 831.1 bln kWh in 1999 and 862.8 bln kWh in 2000 from 812.1 bln kWh in 1998. In the first six months of 2001, power output was 443.4 bln kWh, which suggests that the 2000 performance will be surpassed.

However, in 1999, the output of chief energy producers, thermal plants, was 517.53 bln kWh, down from 518.16 bln kWh in 1998. Growth in total power output was due to a build-up in the output of HPPs (from 158.49 to 160.51 bln kWh) and NPPs (from 103.52 to 120.01 bln kWh).

In 2000, all types of power plant stepped up production: TPPs, from 517.5 to 534.6 bln kWh, HPPs, from 160.5 to 164 bln kWh, and NPPs, from 120.0 to 128.9 bln kWh. In the first six months of 2001, power output by TPPs was 269.9 bln kWh, by HPPs, 88.3 bln kWh, and by NPPs, 66.6 kWh.

With respect to energy zones, in 2000, 26.6% of electric power was produced by plants in the Center, 23% in the South, and 21.5% in the Urals. Power plants in the Northwest, the Volga region, Siberia, and the East accounted for 29% of the total energy output. In the first six months of 2001, the pattern of power production zone-wise did not undergo any significant change; there was a slight rise in the shares of Sevzapenergo, from 9.02 to 9.52%, and Vostokenergo, from 4.67 to 5.07%.

Energy supply to customers in Russia was 1444.0 mln Gcal in 2000, a rise of 0.7 mln Gcal from 1439.3 mln Gcal in 1999. The supply of heat to thermal power plants (CHEPs, district boiler houses, and electric boilers) was 37.2% that to individual customers in 2000. This indicator had a positive dynamics in the year 1997 alone, when it grew from 557.5 to 578.1 Gcal. In 1998 to 2000, the supply of heat to CHTP and district boiler house customers declined; it was down 1.3% in 2000 (from 543.98 to 536.89 mln Gcal). Heat supply by CHEPs, district boiler houses, and electric boilers was 298.4 mln Gcal.

In 2000, TPPs generated 61.95% of the total power, HPPs generated 19.06%, NPPs, 14.94%, and isolated generating plants, 4.05%. In the first half of 2001, the share of TPPs went down to 60.86%, that of HPPs rose to 19.93%, that of NPPs to 15.01%, and that of isolated generating plants, to 4.20%.

Decrease in the share of TPPs in the structure of power production and increase in the share of NPPs has been a general trend. The share of HPPs went down from 19.31% in 1999 to 19.06% in 2000, and grew, on the contrary, in 2001. Power output by HPPs depends in large measure on water resources available. A decrease in the share of HPPs in 2000 was due precisely to this reason.