Yakutsk hosted today celebrations dedicated to welding the first joint of the Power of Siberia gas transmission system (GTS) meant to be a crucial element of the gas supply system being built in eastern Russia. The GTS will convey gas from the Yakutia and Irkutsk gas production centers to the Far East and China.
The attendance was comprised of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zhang Gaoli, First Vice Premier of China's State Council, Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Wang Dongjin, Vice President of China National Petroleum Corporation and Yegor Borisov, Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
The Power of Siberia gas pipeline will run nearly 4,000 kilometers through five Russian constituent entities: the Irkutsk Region, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Khabarovsk Territory and have an annual capacity of 38 billion cubic meters of gas. By late 2018, a 2,200-kilometer pipeline section will be built to connect the Chayandinskoye field in Yakutia to the city of Blagoveshchensk on the Russian-Chinese border. It also planned to build sections from the Kovyktinskoye field in the Irkutsk Region to the Chayandinskoye field (around 800 kilometers) and from the town of Svobodny in the Amur Region to the city of Khabarovsk (around 1,000 kilometers). In this way, Power of Siberia will be connected to the Sakhalin – Khabarovsk – Vladivostok GTS.
“Today the first joint of the unique Power of Siberia gas transmission system has been welded. The cutting-edge gas production and processing facility and thousands kilometers of gas pipelines will secure first gas supplies in as little as four years.
Gazprom is entering a totally new gas market of China. In full compliance with our contractual obligations, Chinese consumers will receive 38 billion cubic meters of gas every year.
Great in all senses, this project has boosted the development of entire industries of the Russian economy: metallurgy, pipe production and machine building. Power of Siberia opens up new opportunities for gasification of eastern Siberia and the Far East. Due to this project thousands of new jobs will be created, accommodation and social infrastructure will be constructed.
Gazprom timely and fully performs its obligations in any area of its activity. It always ensures reliability of gas supplies to its consumers. The same will be true for the Power of Siberia project,” said Alexey Miller.