HPP Cheboksarskaya: photo, history, environmental impact

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The history of the Cheboksary HPP is closely intertwined with the history of the city where it was built. It would be logical to assume that we are talking about Cheboksary (after all, the HPP is Cheboksary). However, this is not so: Novocheboksarsk is considered to be the city of power engineers. In addition, this hydroelectric power plant is part of a huge project network, conceived in the last century. All this and more will be discussed later.

Cheboksary HPP in the top ten "Big Volga"

Under the blue skies, in the bosom of the nature of Chuvashia, in the midst of green areas, on the banks of the Volga, a few kilometers from the capital of the republic, they conceived the construction of the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station (hydroelectric power station) in the 30s of the last century. It must be said that more than one station was planned to be built. There was a project "Big Volga", which was led by a certain professor A. V. Chaplygin. According to the plan, it was planned to build a dozen hydroelectric facilities, among them the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station (see photo below). These stations shouldto engage not only in the generation of electricity, but also to create all together deep-sea routes that would connect such seas as the White, B altic, Black and Caspian. The creators thoroughly and all-Union took up planning and carefully approached the implementation of this project.

The Great Volga Plan in action

Already before the 1940s, 3 out of 10 hydropower plants were built (Ivankovskaya, Uglichskaya and Rybinskaya stations). And they would build more. However, the project had to be suspended: the Great Patriotic War began.

In the post-war years, the Big Volga project was revised and underwent significant changes. Instead of 10 hydroelectric facilities, the plans were to build 13, that is, in addition to the three stations already built, they planned to create 6 more hydroelectric power plants on the Volga River, and 4 on the Kama. The Cheboksarskaya HPP was in line for the planned construction immediately after the Gorky, Volgograd and Kuibyshev stations.

Four kilometers below Cheboksary

In the 50s, Hydroenergoproekt (the institute that developed the plan) proposed a task - to build the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station in the Pikhtulino area - on its alignment (this is a conditional horizontal projection of the river section on which the dam components are located). However, the plans were not destined to materialize again.

Eleven kilometers below Cheboksary

In the 60s, the branch of Hydroenergoproekt in Kuibyshev corrected the choice of alignment (Elnikovsky was chosen instead of Pikhtulinsky) and the presencethe main structures of the Cheboksary station, as well as the correction touched the level of the reservoir (set at 68 meters).

Energy City

Before the implementation of the construction of the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station, they first began to build a new settlement center near Cheboksary, on the banks of the Volga. Among themselves, it was called Sputnik, a small town adjacent to the capital. But it quickly grew and expanded, including the surrounding villages. By the way, if the settlement began to be built in 1960, then it secured its status as a city in 1965. They wanted to give the young satellite the name Ilyichevsk, but changed their minds, and the city became Novocheboksarsk (if the name is literally translated from the Chuvash language, then this is New Cheboksary). Now it is the second largest city in the republic after the capital.

Living history

Due to the fact that Novocheboksarsk was rapidly expanding its borders, it easily formed its own construction complex, which not only built residential areas with infrastructure, but also engaged in the construction of industrial enterprises. Among which, of course, the Cheboksarskaya HPP is in the top three. Therefore, Novocheboksarsk is often called the city of power engineers. It must be said that since the founding of Novocheboksarsk, the history of the city has been developing in parallel with the history of the hydroelectric power station and intertwined with it:

• 1960 is the year of foundation of Novocheboksarsk. This yearThe Kuibyshev branch of Hydroenergoproekt is developing adjustments to the existing program for the construction of the Cheboksary HPP.
• In 1963, all the amendments were officially recognized as valid, as a result of which a task was formed to transfer the construction of a hydroelectric power station to the Elnikovsky target (that is, in fact, to the future Novocheboksarsk).
• In 1965, Novocheboksarsk was given city status.
• In 1967, the construction control department and the managing directorate of the hydroelectric power station were created. The construction of the hydroelectric complex was declared all-Union.
• Since 1968, the first work and basic preparations for the construction of a hydroelectric complex began. Construction has been somewhat delayed.
• Only in 1973, planned concrete work was carried out at the future station.
• In 1980, the first distribution substation of the hydroelectric power station (OSG) began to operate.



• In November of the same year, the Volga was blocked and work continued, and on the last day of the outgoing year, the first hydroelectric unit was launched at a mark of 61 meters (out of a possible 68).
• From 1981 to 1986, 17 hydroelectric units were commissioned.
• The hydroelectric building was completed by 1985, and the construction of the main structures at the hydroelectric power plant was completed by 1986.

Cheboksary hydroelectric power station is a living history, because the development, work and life of the station unfold before the eyes of contemporaries, its operation, of course, bears fruit not only in Chuvashia, but also in the country as a whole. However, this hydroelectricthere is a serious problem that has appeared since the day of its construction and still remains unresolved.

Sixty-eight meters

It must be said that, despite the amount of work carried out and 35 years of work for the benefit of the republic and the country, the construction of this hydroelectric power station (Cheboksarskaya HPP) has not yet been completed, and it has not been officially put into operation. The reason is that even today the hydropower plant operates at the level of the reservoir at 63 meters instead of the required 68.

There are reasonable fears to move to the level of 68: this is the negative impact of the Cheboksary HPP on the environment. It is assumed that raising the level of the reservoir will lead to a number of problems in Chuvashia, the Republic of Mari El and the Nizhny Novgorod region. Among them are the possible flooding of certain areas, the deterioration of the quality of drinking water, the destruction of the coast, a possible environmental disaster, damage to agriculture and the forestry complex. For 35 years, unfortunately, this problem has not been solved.

Today, the owner of all facilities of the Cheboksary hydroelectric power plant is RusHydro.