Russia launches the last line of power bridge to Crimea
On the 11th of May, the fourth and last line of the power bridge was launched from the Russian Federation to the peninsula.
On Wednesday, the 11th of May, the fourth and last line of the power bridge was launched to the annexed Crimea. As a result, according to Russian authorities, the peninsula has become fully independent from energy supplies from Ukraine. "The new line will bring up the total power supply from Russia to Crimea to 800 megawatts. With its own electricity generation, it will be enough and even more than required for normal operations," Russian President Vladimir Putin said speaking via video from his residence, Bocharov Ruchei, in Sochi.
According to him, the Crimean Peninsula now has a capacity of 1270 MW and expected summer levels of consumption will be 1100-1150. He also stated that in 2018 the power plants will add another 470 megawatts and a strong infrastructure reserve will be formed in the peninsula for future economic development, the creation of new industrial facilities, promotion of the social sphere and housing and public utilities.
In December 2015 unidentified people attacked the power lines leading to Crimea from Ukraine. Such towns in Crimea as Evpatoria and Saky - in total, about 2 million people - were left without electricity. Although the lines were repaired, the supply of electricity from Ukraine to Crimea did not resume because the power delivery contract had expired.
In December 2015, the first cable line of the energy bridge to Crimea was launched running at the bottom of the Kerch Strait. Russia managed to complete the first and second threads of the power bridge then. The third line was launched on the 14th of April.
The launch of the fourth and last line of the power bridge to Crimea coincided with the conference in Berlin on the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine between Foreign Ministers.