Chinese to rescue Russian coal-fired power expansion

[phantom power]

MOSCOW/LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese engineers are coming to the rescue of the Russian electricity sector, as outgoing President Vladimir Putin backs a five-year expansion plan that will rival Lenin's drives to electrify the nation.

An estimated 41,000 megawatts of new generating capacity is to come on line by 2011, much of it coal-fired rather than gas, a goal that is way out of reach for Russian machine builders, and even threatens to swamp the order books of global giants such as General Electric Co and Siemens AG.

http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSL0433798720080505