Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin chaired a meeting in Nalchik, the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, on the restoration of the Baksan hydropower station, which was damaged by explosions on July 21. The deputy prime minister said that a preliminary assessment of the station's condition had already been completed. He added that the first stage of restoration would include the repair of the station's switchgear, damaged by the explosions. "The switchgear will be repaired within the next two weeks and the station will run on temporary operation settings," Mr Sechin said.

Officials at the meeting decided that the Baksan hydropower station should be reconstructed completely, which would cost the budget approximately 1.5 billion roubles, and formulated the timeframe for the restoration work. The officials emphasised that this power station which is the oldest in the region had already been on a waiting list for overhauling. "This will be a completely new station with new power units. Earlier the station produced 25 MW of energy. We are considering increasing its capacity to 30 MW," the deputy prime minister said.

The participants in the meeting also stressed that after the explosions the security measures had been tightened around all energy production facilities and vital infrastructure in the North Caucasus. "We are taking integrated measures and facilitating closer cooperation between energy companies, the police and the Federal Security Service. The physical security of people working at these facilities has been tightened, too," Mr Sechin explained.

The deputy prime minister added that RusHydro would pay 1 million roubles to each family of those killed during the explosions on the Baksan hydropower station and 500,000 roubles to those injured. In its turn, the government of Kabardino-Balkaria will provide 300,000 roubles to each family of those killed. In addition, the employees of the Baksan power station, who arrived at the station immediately after the explosions and helped to prevent the development of an emergency situation, will receive bonuses, Mr Sechin said.