Putin inaugurates first line of power bridge to Crimea

Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken part in inauguration of the first line of the power bridge to Crimea. He specially flew to Simferopol tonight. The power bridge from Kuban will allow the republic getting independent from the Ukrainian energy system and cease the energy blockade that began on November 22.

“We are launching the work to connect the Crimean Peninsula to the Russian energy system. We have built over 100 km of high-voltage power transmission lines. Great work has been done really. I want to thank you all, because we previously planned to launch he first line by December 20, but it is launched now,” the president said.

He warned Crimean residents that the system might malfunction, as a lot of new equipment was installed.

As EADaily reported earlier, since Nov 22, Crimea was in blackout, because electricity pylons were blown up of a power line from Ukraine. The peninsula does not have enough own energy resources to cover the demand of 850 megawatt. Supporters of energy blockade of Crimea in Ukraine were denying access of repair teams to the destroyed pylons.

After the accident, the Russian authorities urged to speed up laying the power line on the bottom of the Kerch Strait from Krasnodar Territory. The second line is planned to be put into operation in May 2016.