Seven killed in accident at Russian hydro plant

An accident at Russia’s largest hydro-electric plant has killed seven people and shut down the plant.

The Sayano-Shushinskaya power station on the Yenisei River in Siberia came to a halt today after a pipe ruptured, flooding a turbine house. Seven people died and eight were injured.

Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu said the accident posed no threat to towns located downstream.

Mr Shoigu said that major power cuts are not expected as power supplies from other plants are being re-routed.

The damaged power plant supplies energy to several major aluminium plants including those owned by Rusal, the world’s largest aluminium producer.