Volgograd hydro power plant: general information

Volzhskaya HPP is the largest water power plant in the European part of Russia. At present, it is a part of RusHydro Corporation as a branch. This grandiose construction is located between Traktorozavodsky district of Volgograd and its satellite city called Volzhsky. This hydro power station belongs to a group of medium-pressure stations of channel type.

When did Volgograd Hydroelectric Power Station was built in the USSR?

The decision to erect this power plant was made on August 6, 1950. It was on this day that Stalin signed a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers on the construction of a hydroelectric unit north of Volgograd with a capacity of at least 1.7 million kW.

In the process of erecting this important object was:

• 130 million cu m ^of excavation have been completed;
• Assembled 5462 thousand m ^{3 of} concrete structures;
• Mounted 85 thousand different mechanisms.

The drawings and schemes of the power plant were compiled by eleven research institutes under the leadership of the Hydroproject organization. The construction of such an important facility as the Volgograd Hydroelectric Power Station, whose photo is presented on the page, began in 1951. In 1958, the first three hydroelectric units were launched, and in 1962 the workers of the station assembled the last - the 22nd. Equipment for the construction of hydropower plants was supplied by more than 1500 enterprises from 500 cities of the country.

Participated in this all-union construction and a huge number of specialists of various profiles from all corners of the USSR. More than 10,000 Komsomol members and 20,000 prisoners of the Akhtuba ITK labored at the construction of the HPP. The average monthly salary of workers was 329 rubles.

Design Features

To date, the Volgograd hydro power plant includes:

• A concrete dam with a 725 m length of mud;
• The building of the station with a containment structure is 736 m;
• The ground channel dam is 3250 m;
• Left-bank floodplain dam with three locks and an access canal 5.6 km long.

In addition, the fish processing facility and the Volga-Akhtuba channel are included in the station. The structures of the hydroelectric complex are the highway and railway lines. Pressure facilities of the station form the Volgograd Reservoir. The area of the latter is 3117 m ² , the volume is 31.5 km ³ . The maximum height of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station (concrete dam) is 44 m.

Productivity of the station

The capacity of the HPP is 2587.5 MW. This figure is actually very large. The Volgograd hydro power plant generates an average of 11.1 billion kWh of electricity. The main vertical hydroelectric units at the station are installed at 22. The power of nine of them is 115 MW, eight - 125.5 MW, five - 120 MW. The units are assembled in separate rooms in pairs. On the fish lifter there is another small installation of this type for 11 MW. The total culvert capacity of the station is 63060 m ³ / s.

Role in the national economy

The construction of the Volgograd hydroelectric station in the middle of the last century was planned to provide electricity to the center of the RSFSR, the Volga region and some southern regions of the country. To date, this station is one of the main strong points of the Unified Energy System of Russia. In the Center, it transmits 500 kV of direct current, in the Volga region - 220 kV and in the southern regions - 800 kV.

In addition to the actual power supply, the station also solves other problems of the development of the national economy. In particular, the reservoir formed by it is used for irrigation of arid lands of the Transvolga and the Caspian lowland. In addition, the hydro-power plant creates a convenient route for ships from Astrakhan to Saratov.

The railway and motor roads laid along the dam provide the shortest connection between the regions of the Volga region. Unfortunately, on the highway today, traffic jams are often formed. It's all about the dilapidation of dam structures and the need for frequent repairs. Fortunately, after construction of a large bridge across the Volga in this area, the load on the main line passing along the dam decreased slightly.

Discharges

As in any other station, the Volgograd hydroelectric power station, during the melting of snow, drains excess water from the dam. The timing of this operation depends on many factors. Influence on the schedule of discharge of water of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station is mainly such factors as the amount of precipitation that fell during the winter and the intensity of their melting.

For example, in 2016 the sink at the station began on April 22 and lasted until May 16 inclusive. The maximum water discharge level of Volgogradskaya HPP was 27,000 m ³ . In total, more than 100 cubic kilometers were drained from the reservoir. Starting from May 17, the discharge costs gradually decreased (by approximately 1000 m ³ per day). By 20.05 they reached the level of about 23 000 m ³ .

Every year the administration of the hydropower station tries to prolong the discharge of water as long as possible. The fact is that its shortage in late May - early June seriously violates the ecological balance of the district. If the water from the hydroelectric power station in the spring will be discharged little, by the middle of summer in the coastal area of the Volga River, the lakes, streams and the Erica will dry up. Smoothly reducing the discharges of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station, its administration, among other things, prevents the destruction of the shores. In addition, a leisurely plum schedule promotes the productive spawning of fish in the river.

Lighthouse

As one of the most grandiose buildings of the 20th century, the Volgograd hydroelectric power station, of course, attracts many tourists, domestic and foreign. The spectacle of this building is really impressive. Especially during the spring discharge of water.

In addition to the actual hydroelectric power station itself, tour guides usually advise tourists to visit the station lighthouse located at the southern gateway. From here opens a unique view of the Volga itself, the city, the islands. Well seen from the lighthouse and the monument Motherland.

Ecological aspects

Of course, the construction of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station has brought tremendous benefits to the country's economy. But at the same time, its erection, unfortunately, caused significant damage to the ecosystem of the Volga and coastal zones. So, for example, the dam of the hydroelectric power station blocked the spawning road to fish from the Caspian Sea. In particular, Russian sturgeon, beluga, and Volga herring have suffered from this. The fish lift at the station does not differ too high throughput and provides a passage of fish no more than 15%. On sevriuga and voblo, spawning in the lower reaches of the river, the construction of the hydroelectric power station, fortunately, had virtually no effect.

Like any other station, the Volgograd Hydroelectric Power Station is criticized by environmentalists for including a large number of arable land.

Disappeared villages

During the construction of the Volga cascade, of which the HPP under consideration is a part, a huge number of settlements were flooded. So, for example, when the Rybinsk station was erected, the ancient town of Mologa, which is nowadays often called the Soviet Atlantis, went under the water . 249 people then flatly refused to leave this settlement and, of course, died. In reports sent to higher authorities, it was later noted that all of them "suffered from nervous disorders," that is, they were mentally unhealthy.

During the construction of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station, a large number of villages were also flooded. For example, the village where the people had to move was the village of Lugovaya Proleika. During the Battle of Stalingrad, this village was the closest rear of the Soviet troops. Here were the units of the 8th Air Army and four hospitals. After the construction of the hydroelectric power station, the village was moved to another place, where it is still located.

Before the Great Patriotic War, there was a project according to which the hydroelectric station was supposed to be built near the town of Kamyshin. If it had been realized, part of the city of Saratov, Engels, Volsk and some others would have gone under water. Fortunately, common sense then triumphed, and the Volga HPP was built where it is today. No city was flooded during its erection.

Interesting Facts

When building the Volgograd (Stalingrad) hydroelectric power station for the first time in the USSR, a ropeway was used to move cargo. Later, this technology was not once used in the construction of other power plants.

The construction of such an important facility as Volgogradskaya HPP was completed in record time - within 6 years. However, in fact, the erection of it lasted 11 years. Dates were delayed primarily because of Stalin's death. After all, the main workforce at the construction site were prisoners. After the death of the same leader in 1953, most of them had to be dissolved.

When the Volgograd hydroelectric power station was built, 140 million cubic meters of soil were selected by the builders. If it had to be transported by rail, it would take 8 million cars. In the area of the spillway dam during the construction of the hydropower plant, a layer of clay 12 m thick was rammed.

Nowadays, before entering the dam, there is a traffic police station, a monument to builders, as well as a warning sign about the prohibition of photo and video shooting. Do not cross the dam through pedestrian crossings.

Today, this hydroelectric power plant is still the most important facility that has a huge impact on the economy of the state and the welfare of the residents of the cities of Volgograd, Kamyshin, Volzhsk, etc. All the processes occurring at the station are still covered by the media. In particular, this applies to drains of water. Find out when the discharge of water in the Volgograd Hydroelectric Power Plant is reduced or the number of locks is planned for the first time, for example, it is easy to get through both newspapers and local news Internet portals.