GORNO-ALTAISK, September 04. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who is currently on a working trip in the Altai Republic, on Thursday watched in a video conference mode a ceremony marking the start-up of the Kosh-Agach solar power station which will become Russia's largest and the republic's first own power generating facility in the region. Following the station's coming into operation, the republic will be able to lessen energy deficit and generate environment-friendly electric power.

The Russian president addressed the personnel of the solar power station, congratulating them on the start of the operation of the power station. "This is the first generating facility in the Altai Republic, with the latter depending one hundred percent on transmissions of power from Russia's other regions. However, it is especially gratifying that this is a solar power station," he emphasized.

"This is a very good example of how things must be done," Putin said. "It is all the more correct and in demand for such a region as the Altai Republic, bearing in mind that the republic affords a large number of nature conservation zones, nature reserves and, in general, this is a remarkable scenic spot in our country," he said, referring to the region as a unique place on earth.

Putin recalled that it is planned to start up several more power stations. "Four of them must be launched in the Altai Republic before 2019, with their aggregate amount of financing being more than five billion rubles", the President said. "This means a large amount of work which will enable the production sector of the component to feel confident and get a market," he pointed out.

The Russian president expressed confidence that under conditions of the local climate, with the number of sunny days being comparable to that of Southern Europe and South Russia (about 300 within a year), the future of the solar power station looks cloudless. "This will be, of course, an effective work, and the enterprise will be successful," he said.

The capacity of the Kosh-Agach solar power station is five megawatts, which will ensure stability in the supply of electricity to three municipal districts. Andrei Tsygulev, deputy head of the Kosh-Agach District for construction and architecture, told ITAR-TASS, "The entire Kosh-Agach District consumes from 2.7 to 3.5 megawatts of power, that is, the power station will generate almost twice as much power as our requirements are, and the surplus will be sold to other areas of the region".

The Kosh-Agach solar power station is the country's first power generating facility of such capacity. Earlier, the aggregate installed capacity of solar power generating facilities exceeded two megawatts. The cost of construction was 570 million roubles. The station is the first out of five projects to build solar power stations in the Altai Republic's territory, with their aggregate capacity amounting to 45 megawatts.