Description of the attraction
Volkhovskaya HPP stands on the Volkhov River in the city of Volkhov in the Leningrad Region. This is one of the oldest hydroelectric power plants in Russia. It is a historical monument of science and technology.
The construction of the power plant began in 1915 and was completed in 1927. Volkhovskaya HPP is a run-of-the-river low-pressure power plant. The structure of the power plant includes: a concrete spillway dam with a length of 212 m; hydroelectric power station building; fish passage structure; drainage; single-chamber single-line shipping lock; ice protection wall 256 m long. The plant's capacity is now 86 MW (originally it was 58 MW), the average annual output is 347 million Wh. In the building of the power plant there are 10 radial-axial hydraulic units, which operate at a design head of 11 m. Most of the equipment of the hydroelectric power station has been in operation for more than 80 years and needs to be replaced. Pressurized structures of the station form the Volkhov reservoir, which has an area of 2.02 sq. Km and a useful capacity of 24.36 million cubic meters. During the construction of the reservoir, 10 thousand hectares of agricultural land were flooded. The Volkhovskaya HPP project was developed by the Lenhydroproject Institute.
The hydroelectric power station operates in the peak part of the load schedule of the power system of the North-West. The hydroelectric power station supplies electricity to the Volkhov aluminum smelter. The Volkhov reservoir, having flooded the Volkhov rapids, ensured the navigability of the Volkhov river.
Volkhovskaya HPP was of great importance in the industrial development of the country in the 1920s and 1930s. 20th century, as well as in the supply of electricity. The construction of a dam at the power plant blocked the spawning path of the Volkhov whitefish. Today the whitefish population is supported by artificial breeding at the Volkhov fish hatchery.
In 1902 the engineer G. O. Graftio prepared the first project for using the Volkhov to generate electricity. In 1914, he modernized his project for more powerful turbines. But the tsarist government showed no particular interest in the project. After the revolution G. O. Graftio interested V. I. Lenin. In the same year, work began on the construction of the power plant, but soon they were suspended due to the difficult situation in the country, which was in a state of Civil War.
In 1921, the construction of the Volkhovskaya HPP was included in the GOELRO plan, and the construction of the station was resumed. The Volkhovskaya HPP was one of the government's priorities, since the construction of the HPP was to fundamentally solve the fuel crisis and provide electricity to Petrograd and its industry.
On July 28, 1926, through the Volkhov river, through navigation was opened through the hydroelectric power station lock. In 1926, with the participation of government representatives, the grand opening of the hydroelectric power station on Volkhov took place, and three Swedish hydroelectric units were launched. The power supply to the factories of Leningrad was started on the night of December 5th. The rest of the hydroelectric units - in 1927. The initial capacity of the station was 57 MW. Over time, it increased, by the beginning of the war it reached 66 MW.
When the German troops approached Volkhov at the end of 1941, the equipment from the hydroelectric power station was dismantled and removed. Part of the equipment was reassembled after the stabilization of the front in the fall of 1942. A cable was laid at the bottom of Lake Ladoga to supply Leningrad with electricity. In October 1944, eight main hydroelectric units with a total capacity of 64 MW were put into operation. The complete restoration of the station was completed in 1945.
In the period from 1993 to 1996. three hydroelectric units were replaced with more powerful ones (12 MW). It was planned to replace the rest of the hydroelectric units, but due to a lack of funds, the refurbishment of the station was delayed. At first, the replacement of units was planned for 2007-2010, but this schedule was never implemented.
On January 13, 2009, a new hydroelectric unit No. 1 was put into operation. The planned capacity of the station after replacement of all units should be equal to 98 MW.
The history of the construction of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station is reflected in the biographical feature film "Engineer Graftio", shot by G. Kazansky in 1974.
