Bratsk Hydropower Plant: how it all began

The Bratsk HPP is considered to be one of the largest operating stations not only in Siberia, but also in the world. In addition to the station's power and the role that it played in the development of Siberia, the history of construction, the patriotism of our parents and the era that embodied such a grandiose plan is of great interest.

A bit of history ...

His story begins in Bratsk in 1631. To further explore Transbaikalia, the outpost was the Bratsk fort, which was gradually built up and grew into a small village in one street, which stretched along the river. The merchants and diplomats traveled by here, the food-seekers and water were ransacked by explorers of the Angara region and explorers of the coastal part of the Sea of Okhotsk. And only exiles and convicts could get accustomed to this land and fall in love with it.

A little time passed, and the descendants of the peasants peasants, having united in the commune "Drummer", began to build a new life. Every year the territory of the collective farms expanded, the rumbling of tractors became more audible, and livestock farms were replenished with new livestock.

Start of construction

December 21, 1954 took a decision on the beginning of construction. The Bratsk hydro power plant was to be commissioned by the 50th anniversary of the Great October Revolution - this was the plan of the country's top leadership. And what could be the result of his failure, everyone was well aware. Therefore, the construction of the dam began on a river covered with a thick layer of ice.

The problem of labor power arose before the Soviet leadership. If earlier all this was solved with the help of repression and coercion, then at that moment it was decided to use the power of propaganda. As a result, hundreds of Romantics and enthusiasts went on to build a hydroelectric power station on the Angara. Thanks to the tremendous dedication, boundless devotion to the Motherland, the genius of the engineers, the station was commissioned on time.

The newly arrived builders did not expect to see such a reality. The first winter people lived in ordinary tents at a temperature of -50 in a remote taiga, neighboring only a few small villages. Even the construction of the most simple barracks did not have time to do. All the forces were thrown at the construction of the station.

The Bratsk hydro power plant required large areas, and a decision was made to flood 100 villages. No one was interested in the opinion of the residents. In pursuit of the deadline for implementation in the flooded area was thrown a huge mass of building materials. Flooded were rich hunting farms, collective farms, apartment houses and huge forest tracts.

Beginning July 18, 1961, the filling of the Bratsk reservoir begins , due to which the level of the dam rises by 100 meters. And December 14, 1966 starts the launch of the last, the eighteenth in the aggregate. At that time, the Bratsk HPP was the world's largest hydroelectric power station. It still works.

A huge role in the development of Siberia was played by the Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station, a photo of which can be seen on this page. All those spontaneous decisions that led to rash victims, paid off with interest. At the moment, it is this hydroelectric power plant that makes it possible to develop and produce minerals in this region.