Fedor Opadchiy: “The Russian power system is one of the world leaders in environmentally friendly electricity generation”
In Moscow, at the industry Energy Day of the international exhibition and forum "Russia", the Chairman of the Board of the System Operator, Fedor Opadchiy, spoke about the importance of the electric power industry for ensuring the dynamic socio-economic development of the country and its contribution to achieving the goals of the climate agenda.
At the expert panel “Electric power industry as a driver of economic growth,” the head of the System Operator made a report “Russian Power System. Present and future." The session was moderated by Deputy Minister of Energy Pavel Snikkars.
Fyodor Opadchiy shared information about the main features of the power system, key parameters of its functioning and the most important areas of development. Russia is one of the most powerful energy states in the world, he noted. Our power system is located on the territory of 89 federal subjects in 11 time zones. It ranks first in the world in terms of length, fourth in terms of electricity generation and consumption, and fifth in terms of installed power plant capacity. The power systems of 12 foreign countries operate synchronously with the UPS of Russia.
The head of SO UPS JSC emphasized the important role of operational dispatch control to ensure reliable operation of the power system and recalled that from January 1, the System Operator, in accordance with changes in the Federal Law “On Electric Power Industry,” expanded the boundaries of its activities to the technologically isolated power systems of Taimyr, Sakhalin, Magadan, Kamchatka and Chukotka. Today, the company’s dispatch area of responsibility covers an area with a consumption of 99.5% of total electricity consumption in Russia.
Speaking about macro indicators characterizing the operation of the power system, Fyodor Opadchiy noted that over the past 10 years, the volume of electricity consumption in Russia has increased by 11%. To meet the increased demand for electricity, 36.1 GW of new generating capacity was commissioned during this time. At the end of 2023, the total installed capacity of Russian power plants amounted to 254.3 GW. In 2023, a new record was set for the volume of electricity consumption in the country. Compared to 2022, this figure increased by 1.4% and amounted to 1139.3 billion kWh.
“The Russian power system is one of the world leaders in terms of environmental friendliness of electricity generation. Already today, low-carbon generation makes up a significant share in the structure of energy capacity, and the carbon footprint of the Russian electric power industry is lower than the average in the G7 countries,” emphasized Fedor Opadchiy.
The head of SO UPS JSC reported that currently 37.2% of the total structure of electricity generation is made up of hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants. Another 48.5% of generation comes from gas power plants, which are characterized by low CO2 emissions. In the future, it is planned to reduce the share of output from thermal power plants, increase the share of nuclear power plants and renewable energy sources, and maintain the current share of hydroelectric power plants through the construction of new hydroelectric power plants.
The head of the System Operator emphasized that the new system for planning the long-term development of the electric power industry, launched in the industry in 2023, is largely aimed at finding an answer to the question of what should be the rational structure of generation and networks in the country’s power system in the long term, taking into account what is happening in industry changes. That is why the key long-term planning documents - the Scheme and Program for the Development of Electric Power Systems and the General Scheme for the Location of Electric Power Facilities - are being developed for a 6- and 18-year period, respectively.
“To find answers to the question of what kind of rational generation structure we should have over such a long horizon, we must take into account the decommissioning of existing generation, the growth of energy consumption, and goals to achieve carbon neutrality. First of all, it is necessary to consolidate plans for the development of nuclear and hydropower generation in long-term planning documents, since their construction is the most capital-intensive and time-consuming,” said Fedor Opadchiy.
According to the System Operator's forecast, the average annual growth rate of electricity and capacity consumption over the next six years will be about 2%. An increase in consumption will require an increase in the installed capacity of generating equipment and the systematic development of the electric grid complex. By 2029, it is planned to commission 15.7 GW of capacity, 14.6 thousand km of electrical networks and 41.2 thousand MVA of transformer capacity.
The head of the System Operator listed the territories that, against the backdrop of economic development, are included in the priority zones for the construction of new generation. Thus, in the IPS of the East it is necessary to build up to 1935 MW of new generation, in the IPS of the South - at least 957 MW, in the IPS of Siberia - a competition for the construction of 1225 MW of new generation has already started.
“In addition to new construction, the modernization of existing thermal generation is being actively carried out according to the presidential program, including the most important projects for the modernization and construction of new capacities in the Far East. The Integrated Power System of the East currently operates technologically isolated from the power system of Siberia, but on the horizon of 2029 they must be synchronized,” emphasized the Chairman of the Board of the System Operator.
The session was attended by heads of executive and legislative authorities of Russia, representatives of the largest energy companies, specialized associations and leading experts in the energy sector.