The government of the Russian Federation and Nizhny Novgorod oblast have not agreed on implementation of project worth RUB 43 billion, which should solve the problem of shallow water on the Volga river near Gorodets and save the shipping industry billions of dollars of annual losses. The low-pressure hydroelectric project left environmental issues, in this alternative, the proposed area is not yet developed. According to government estimates, the beginning of the “actual implementation” of the project now may not be until mid 2021.As it became known“”, the construction of low-pressure waterworks Nizhny Novgorod (UNN) has been postponed until mid-2021, to the letter of the Vice-Premier Marat Khusnullin, Russian President Vladimir Putin (a copy of the letter dated 30 April there is a “b”). The government and Nizhny Novgorod oblast have been unable to find a compromise. According to Mr Khusnullin, the project documentation for the second (main) phase of construction of the University did not receive a positive opinion from the state due to “unresolved issues related to environmental impacts of the project, as well as unreasonable determination of zones of influence created reservoir”.The hydroelectric dam, the creation of which five years was expected to be completed in 2021. Money — 43.4 billion rubles to be allocated by the budget. However, due to the repeated postponement of part of the money has already been redistributed to other projects with the amendment that they will be restored in the future. The project planned the construction of low-head dams and, consequently, a seasonal reservoir, which will provide the necessary level of water in navigation.Against the establishment of the University are the public, activists and government Balakhna, fearing areas of flooding and negative environmental consequences (see “Kommersant” on 2 August 2019). The region is in favour of an alternative embodiment of the construction of the third line of gateways in the Gorodets area value of RUB 7.5 billion But, as noted in a letter to President Marat Khusnullin, implementation of this alternative version of “ungrounded”, because its development stage “initial, and to develop the necessary project documentation and training materials of engineering survey would take about two years.”In the end, the government, together with ran a planned analysis of both options using mathematical and 3D modeling, said Deputy Prime Minister. The result is the beginning of the “actual implementation” of the project of the University may not be until mid-2021, concludes Mr. Khusnullin. Thus, taking into account the duration of construction for almost five years, the project runs the risk to go beyond 2024, as previously warned Analytical center for the government (see “Kommersant” on July 9, 2019). In the office of the Marat Husnullin refused to comment��V. In Rosmorrechflot reported that the examination period of the second phase of the University due to non-working days is extended to 9 June. The Agency noted that similar environmental problems have already been raised by the examination in 2007 with the analysis of the project the completion of the Cheboksary reservoir. It is envisaged the complex of engineering measures to eliminate flooding at the current level of this reservoir (the level 63 m), which is still not implemented, that “was the main negative factor in determining the zone of influence of the projected reservoir of low-pressure waterworks of Nizhny Novgorod”. In Rosmorrechflot emphasize that the region’s alternative does not solve the problem of small depth.Now on a site of the Volga Gorodets from shipping facilities to Nizhny Novgorod, the guaranteed depth is only 1.8 m instead of 4 m. because Of this, vessels have to go underutilized and idle waiting for the water outlets from the Gorky reservoir. As a result, the number of traffic left the river for the railroad, says the interlocutor of Kommersant in the industry: direct losses of shipping companies is estimated at 1.5–2 billion rubles per year, and lost profits from the inability to increase freight traffic — at times more. According to the interlocutor, “b”, UNN allows to solve the problem of navigation on the problem area with minimal financial and environmental costs.Anastasia Vedeneeva
