Moscow, 5 February 2008. According to updates, the power plants of RAO "UES of Russia" increased electricity generation in January 2008 by 9.1% to 72.8 billion kWh from 66.7 billion kWh in January 2008.

In January 2008, the country's electricity consumption grew by 8.2% though the average ambient air temperatures were 1.8 degrees above the norm.

The hydrological situation in the reservoirs of the key HPPs was unfavourable, so the growing electricity demand in Siberia was met by the thermal power plants of RAO UES. In January, the CHPP generation increased by 13.7 percent.

The most rapid growth in electricity use in January was observed in the Khakassia (28.4%), Chechnya (25.8%), Kaliningrad (10%), Rostov (17.3%), Kuban (18.3%), and Astrakhan (18.4%) Energy Systems.

Last month, the electricity consumption in the Moscow Energy System and Leningrad Energy System grew by 10.1 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively.