Wednesday, July 31 2019 13:05

ArmInfo.The Sevan hydroelectric power station, the head station of the Sevan-Hrazdan  cascade of hydropower stations located in the Republic of Armenia,  celebrates its 70th anniversary. The station was commissioned in July  1949.

Today, the Sevan Hydroelectric Power Station is operated by the  International Energy Corporation CJSC (IEC), the press service of  RusHydro, which includes IEC.

The construction of the Sevan hydroelectric power station was begun  in 1936. For the Soviet hydropower construction of the Sevan  hydroelectric power station was a landmark event - it became the  first Soviet hydropower plant with an underground hydroelectric power  station building. In the machine room of the station, two main  hydraulic units and one small hydraulic unit are installed to support  their own needs.  Capacity of the Sevan hydroelectric power station  is 34.24 MW. Under the ground there is also a large part of the  hydroelectric power station buildings: in addition to the  hydroelectric power station located at a depth of 100 m, this is a  5.5 km long diverting tunnel and a turbine water conduit.

Sevan-Hrazdan cascade of hydropower plants includes seven hydropower  plants with a total capacity of 565.4 MW. In 2018, the cascade  generated 412 million kWh of electricity, which is about 7% of  Armenia's power consumption. To ensure the reliable operation of  hydroelectric power stations and to increase the efficiency of water  use, a long-term program for the modernization of the hydroelectric  power stations of the cascade is being implemented. In 2013-2018 more  than $ 50 million was allocated for these purposes.  The largest  project of this program is the reconstruction of the Yerevan HPP-1,  completed in 2018. At the station, both hydraulic units were  replaced, which allowed increasing its capacity from 44 to 48 MW.   Thanks to the introduction of automatic regulation at the station, it  was possible to significantly improve the quality of irrigation in  the Ararat Valley, the specific water consumption during power  generation was reduced by 4%.

Also, projects have been implemented to replace electrical equipment  at five hydroelectric power stations of the cascade and the windings  of the stators of the generators of the Sevan hydroelectric station,  with modernization of the excitation systems, reconstruction of the  diversion channels of the Razdan and Arzna hydroelectric stations,  and modernization of the excitation systems of the Argelskaya  hydroelectric stations.  It should be noted that the program is  carried out at the expense of attracted loans from the Asian  Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and  Development ($ 25 million each). 1.7 billion drams were invested in  the modernization of Sevan HPPs, 778 million drams were allocated to  Hrazdan HPPs, 1.3 billion drams to Argel HPP, 658 million drams to  Arzni HPPs, 283 million drams to Kanaker hydropower plants, -1 to  Yerevan Hydroelectric Power Stations - 16.3 billion drams, to Yerevan  - 3 hydroelectric power stations - 13 million drams. Investments in  other areas amount to 406 million. For the complete modernization of  the Cascade, about $ 1.5 billion are needed. International Energy  Corporation JSC was registered in the Republic of Armenia on May 8,  2003 and became the first generating company of INTER RAO UES. On  July 17, 2003, the Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade CJSC property complex was  transferred to the Company, and on March 24, 2011, RusHydro OJSC, in  accordance with the strategy for the acquisition and development of  hydro-generating assets abroad, acquired shares of the International  Energy Corporation CJSC.

CJSC "IEC" is one of the main producers of electricity in Armenia.  The property complex of the International Energy Corporation CJSC  includes seven hydroelectric power stations of the Sevan-Hrazdan  cascade located on the Hrazdan River. The stations use the natural  flow of the Hrazdan River, as well as irrigation water releases from  Lake Sevan. All hydroelectric power stations of the cascade are in  working condition. The installed capacity is 561 MW, and the  production and technological potential is 500 million kWh, which is  about 10% of the domestic consumption of the Republic of Armenia.