Joint Stock Company ‘Azerenergy’ has worked out and approved the schedule for preparation of the related enterprises for the winter season, Chief Engineer of the JSC’s Electric Power Production Department Fazil Suleymanov told AzerTaj. Ht noted the preparation for 2003-2004 repair campaign has been carried out more thoroughly than in previous years. According to him, major repair of the second power unit of the Azerbaijan Hydroelectric Power Station /AHPS/ in Mingachevir generating over 50 per cent of the county’s electricity, is in progress. Fazil Suleymanov noted as well that completion of the corrective maintenance work at the AHPS is scheduled for the nearest future, as a result, the unit’s output will increase by 30-40 megawatt.

Commenting on the repair work, Director of the AHPS Shikhmamed Aslanov stressed the duration of the units’ repair had reduced three-fold as compared with the previous years, while electricity generation for the last decade has reached up to 2015 megawatt. These showings, according to him, have been predetermined due to timely provision of the enterprise with spares. The next is the repair of the third and fifth units that will allow to increase their outcome by 15-20 megawatt. In all, 60 per cent of the corrective maintenance work to be finished by October 2003, have already been done.

At the same time, repair work of the first generating-unit of Alibayramly Hydroelectric Power Station - the second one in generating electricity in the country – has been finished increasing the enterprise’s output by 20 megawatt. Simultaneously, corrective maintenance – substitution of brass pipes - has been carried out at the fourth generating unit. Press-service emphasized that the Alibayramly Hydroelectric Power Station of 900-910 megawatt generating capacity, generates one third of total electric power of Azerbaijan.

Preparation of the main and subsidiary equipment of the Baku Heat Station-1 for winter season is also in progress. According to its Director Faig Efendiyev, repair of two turbines has been completed, and major repair of the second gas-turbine unit is scheduled for September.

Substitution of obsolete equipment will be carried out by Swiss ‘Alstom Power.’

The reconstruction of the hydroturbine unit’s rotor has allowed increasing the outcome of Mingachevir HPS by 10 megawatt due. Director Suraddin Shamilov said the works have been done by specialist of the HPS and ‘Azerenergy’ structural divisions.

Preparation works for winter have been finished in the cascade of Shamkir hydroelectric stations: current repairs of the third hydroturbine unit have been finished, corrective maintenance work, said Chief of shift Yagub Abbasov, have been carried out by local brigades four days ahead of the schedule. ‘The work done, will let provide more reliable and uninterrupted operation of the station in winter’, he stressed.

At the Yenikend hydroelectric station built on the initiative of President Heydar Aliyev, four units with 37,5 megawatt capacity each are in operation. The station generates up to 500 thousand kilowatt/ hour dayly.

Both hydroblocks if 190 megawatt capacity each have been repaired at the Shamkir hydroelectric station.

The main electric energy Department of the country stressed that the major part of the company’s corrective maintenance would be completed by late September.