Sep 09, 2005 - BBC Monitoring

Zhigulevsk, Samara Region - The implementation of the project to export Russian electricity to China will allow to double the installed power generating capacity in Siberia and the Far East, Unified Energy System of Russia CEO Anatoliy Chubays told the third all-Russian meeting of hydropower industry workers today.

He said that "according to an agreement with China's hydroelectric company the electricity export from Russia will amount to 30bn kWh". "In the next 2-3 months we plan to complete the negotiations," Chubays said. He added that "the price is the key issue and if it is be resolved the project will be implemented".

Chubays called this project unprecedented. "The modernization of old power facilities as well as construction of new facilities with a total capacity of 6m kWh are at issue," he added.

Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 0508 gmt 9 Sep. 2005

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