STORY: Moscow- Putin pledges compensation for victims in power plant disaster

    SHOTLIST:

    1 Various of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arriving at Sayano-Shushenskaya power plant

    2 Various of Putin inspecting damaged plant

    3 Various of workers at the damaged plant

    4 Various of Putin inspecting damaged plant and expressing regards with workers

    STORYLINE:

    Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited the site of a deadly power plant accident on Friday and promised compensation for victims' families.

    The death toll from Monday's disaster at Sayano-Shushenskaya power plant, the largest in Russia, rose to 26 on Friday, with another 49 still listed as missing.

A general view shows the damaged dam of Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station near Siberian village of Cheryomushki, about 520 km (323 miles) south of Krasnoyarsk, August 18, 2009.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Putin, who was there to inspect the rescue operation, said the families of the dead and the missing would receive 1 million rubles (about 31,450 U.S. dollars) in compensation by the plant's owner, RusHydro.

    The prime minister also said the plan to rebuild the Sayano-Shushenskaya plant must be submitted to the government within six weeks.

    The accident at the Siberian plant, located on the Yenisei River, occurred Monday when its third and fourth culverts were damaged, destroying walls and submerging the engine room. The accident shut down the plant, causing a severe energy shortfall in the region.

    RusHydro has said it would take up to two years to repair the damage. Restoring the plant would cost at least 40 billion rubles (about 1.3 billion dollars).

    Clean-up work and investigation into the cause of the accidents is underway.

    Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Moscow. (XHTV)