At a meeting of a Russian-Mongolian working group in October, Russia will put forward a number of alternatives to Mongolia’s project to build a hydroelectric power plant (HPP) on a river that feeds the world-famous Lake Baikal, Russia’s natural resources minister told TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

‘A working group on the Selenga project has been formed, and it will convene in early October in Ulaanbaatar, prior to the intergovernmental committee’s meeting due in late October,’ the minister added.

According to Minister Donskoi, the initiatives include the modernisation of the existing and the construction of new power transmission lines to supply electricity to Mongolia and its transit to China. In this case, the minister said, it will supply Mongolia with power that would be even cheaper than the electricity generated by the HPP.

Among other alternatives, suggested by Donskoi, is the construction of advanced coal-powered thermal power stations and the use of other renewable energy sources.

The construction of hydroelectric power chain on the Selenga River, the main tributary of Lake Baikal, and the rivers flowing into Selenga is aimed to help Mongolia solve the problem of energy deficit. But scientists fear that the project may negatively affect the ecosystem of Baikal and Selenga. They also drew attention to seismic danger of the territory where the power stations may be built.

Earlier, First Deputy Minister of Energy Aleksei Teksler told reporters that his ministry considers it reasonable to build electric transmission lines to Mongolia instead of hydroelectric power stations. He noted that the construction of the power transmission line will cost 3.5 times cheaper per MW/h, in comparison with the cost of construction of a new power generation facility.