Putin orders 'thorough' probe of Russia dam disaster

* Says investigation must be objective

* Says economising on safety is criminal

* Proposed "black boxes" for hydroelectric dams

MOSCOW, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered a thorough investigation of an accident that killed 75 people at a Siberian hydroelectric power station in August and said any attempt to scrimp on safety was criminal.

Putin told a government meeting it was "irresponsible and criminal" to economise on safety by entrusting repair work to "affiliated" third parties without the relevant experience or knowledge.

His comments follow those of powerful deputy Igor Sechin, who on Thursday accused current and former managers at the Sayano-Shushenskaya station of using "fraudulent schemes" to win tenders for work at the dam. [ID:nLH17306]

"The investigation must be conducted thoroughly and objectively," Putin told the meeting at the Emergencies Ministry's crisis management centre. The text of his speech was published on the government website, www.government.ru.

Putin also proposed the installation of "black boxes" to monitor power stations across Russia after the accident, which occurred when a turbine room flooded on Aug. 17.

"In cases like this, and at such complex installations as hydroelectric power stations, we should install monitoring systems similar to the "black boxes" used on planes," he said.

RusHydro (HYDR.MM), the state-controlled power company that owns the Sayano-Shushenskaya dam, has said law enforcement agencies would have to determine the innocence or guilt of anybody involved in the transactions to which Sechin referred.

Putin also said the hydro power station should start working next year. Authorities have previously said the dam will return to production at normal capacity output in 2014.

Officials say the dam disaster has illustrated the poor state of Russia's mostly Soviet-era infrastructure.

Some critics also say the case has highlighted the corrupt nature of some layers of Russian society. President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered officials to tackle corruption. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, editing by Myra MacDonald)