MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. Third line of the power bridge to Crimea was put into operation, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told journalists on Thursday.

"From January 1, we do not receive electricity from Ukraine. Two lines of the energy bridge operated until today, Crimea received 400 MW from the Unified Energy System. And today, April 14, the third line of the power bridge was put into operation, which increased the possibility of receiving additional 200 MW. Thus, the current power supply will total 600 MW," he said.

Novak said that some objects were put into operation ahead of the schedule - firstly, four lines for 220 kV of submarine cable chains, which enabled the transfer of 200 MW. In addition, new substation of 500 kV was built, the new 500-kV transmission line from Kubanskaya substation to Taman substation. These are the main objects, in total 7 additional objects were built and reconstructed from the time the previous line was constructed.

"Currently the total available power that can be generated in Crimea and received from the Unified Energy System of Russia totals 1060 MW. Today this is enough to provide for the needs of the Crimean people, and the power deficit of the past few months in the evening and early morning hours," Novak noted.

Novak added that the next stage in the next two to three weeks is putting into operation one more line of 200 MW, which in total will provide up to 800 MW from the Russian Unified Energy System.

"In 2017-2018 we are going to introduce capacities of 940 MW. Two large power plants will be built, they are now under construction - one in Sevastopol, one in Simferopol. This will give us an opportunity to create additional reserves and possibilities for further economic growth and provide consumers with new power, so that the program of socio-economic development has energy resources," the Minister said.