The Tripartite Commission discussed the regulation of Lake Inari

Traditional meeting of Finnish ecologists and hydroenergetics specialists from Russia and Norway was held in the village of Lake Inari Nellim from 22 to 24 August. It was organized by the Center for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment Province of Lapland (Finland).

The forecast of the hydrological situation in the beginning of autumn and the end of the year was made during the meeting. The parties agreed on the water releases from Lake Inari to the end of 2012, and exchanged information on the safe operation and monitoring of hydraulic structures. The next meeting of the Commission will be held in January 2013 in Murmansk.

Russian energy system was represented by Sergey Redkin, director of marketing and sales of JSC TGC-1, Oleg Tyapinov, deputy chief engineer of the Kolsky branch, Nikolai Vorobiev, Director of Cascade of Pazskiye HPPs.

Meetings of Finnish ecologists and hydroenergetics specialists from Russia and Norway which share the water of Lake Inari and the resulting Paatsjoki River are held annually since 1959. There are seven hydroelectric power plants on the river. Five of them are combined in Cascade of Pazskiye HPPs and the others are in the energy sector in Norway.

The control station of the water system is Kaitakoski HPP, and it is the first stage of the cascade that have a direct impact on the water level in Lake Inari and sets the mode for plants located downstream.

Half a century of experience in regulating Lake Inari is an example of a stable and mutually beneficial cooperation between the three countries in the use of natural resources. Tripartite agreement was signed in 1959 between the governments of the USSR, Norway and Finland. The agreement is to control the water level in Lake Inari that is located in Finland, the resulting Paatsjoki River passing through the territory of Finland, Russia and Norway.