The former director of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydro-power plant in Eastern Siberia, where 75 people died in an explosion in 2009, was charged on Thursday for violating safety rules, the Russian Investigative Committee said.
Nikolai Nevolko, who headed Russia's largest power plant, faces up to five years behind bars. He may also be deprived of the right to hold certain positions for up to three years.
Charges will soon be brought against another six people involved in the case, the committee said.
The RusHydro hydropower company, which owns the Sayano-Shushenskaya plant, will spend 20.6 billion rubles (about $680 million) in 2011-2013 on restoration work at the station, where much the equipment was damaged or destroyed.
MOSCOW, December 16 (RIA Novosti)
