Irkutsk HPP: construction, history, photo

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

The Irkutsk HPP is the very first and largest hydroelectric power plant built on the Angara. It laid the foundation for the formation of a whole energy complex. The difficulties in its construction helped to gain a truly invaluable experience.

Backstory

It must be said that the natural resources of Siberia (in particular, the area where the Angara flows) have always interested researchers in pre-revolutionary Russia. However, the work carried out at that time concerned mainly minerals.

Serious research into hydropower began only in 1924-1925. For the first time, engineer V. M. Malyshev. Just at that time, the GOELRO plan was being revised. It was during the years of the first five-year plan that it was planned to carry out comprehensive work to study the potential of this river in order to organize the largest energy-industrial base in Eastern Siberia, which was essential for rapidly developing production.

Research and design work

About 20 million rubles were allocated for the study of Siberian lands in the Angara region. It was then that this problem became national economic. But despite the allocated allocations, comprehensive research on the river began to be carried out only from 1930. At the same time, a special institute was created called the Department for the Study of the Angarsk Problem. A year later, it was renamed the Angara Bureau, which became part of the Hydroenergoproekt trust.

A group of researchers led by Professor Malyshev completed the first stage of work on the river in 1935. As a result, a scheme was developed for the operation of its upper section, a project for the Irkutsk hydroelectric installation, as well as a plan for a whole complex of enterprises that will consume this energy. A year later, all the materials submitted by the Malyshev group were reviewed by representatives of the State Planning Committee of the USSR. As a result, the commission made a decision to build six HPPs on the Angara River at once, which will be a continuous cascade, the first in this list was the Irkutsk HPP (photo).

Construction

In 1948, this hydroelectric power plant was included in the title list of the Hydroenergoproekt trust in the section of design and survey work. G. N. Sukhanov became the chief construction engineer, and V. V. Letavin and P. M. Stalin became the architects. In 1949, the hydroelectric project was approved, and at the beginning of the next year, the government of the USSR made the final decision to build the first hydroelectric power station in the Irkutsk region.

A month later, builders arrived at the site of the future dam. For its construction, a separate construction and installation department was specially organized under the name"Angaragesstroy". In accordance with the project of the hydroelectric complex, it was necessary to build both temporary and auxiliary structures, as well as enterprises, the volume of which was to be 312 thousand m³.

In addition, according to the plan, construction personnel had to be provided with a living area of 90,000 m², household and cultural buildings with a volume of 135,000 m³. All these buildings needed a 63 km long sewerage and water main. We did not forget about railways and roads.

A. E. Bochkin was appointed the head of Angaragesstroy, and S. N. Moiseev was appointed the chief engineer. Under the guidance of an experienced and competent hydraulic engineer A. A. Melnikonis, the Irkutsk dam was built. The hydroelectric power station became an all-Union construction site. University graduates from all over the country came here. They actively participated in the organization of the construction, so by its completion many of them became quite large coordinators.

Difficulties in erection

The Irkutsk HPP, the construction of which was very difficult, became the first part of a cascade of six hydroelectric power plants. The fact is that before it it was not necessary to carry out such projects. Therefore, during the construction there were many difficulties. It was necessary to build a gravel-sand dam, the length of which was 2.5 km, as well as the building of the HPP itself combined with it, which was a reinforced concrete building 240 m long. It was necessary to assemble eight units with a total capacity of 660 thousand kW.

Irkutsk HPP, consisting ofa dam built of sand and gravel, and a building combined with it, was designed for the first time. In addition, such huge embankments have not yet been in world practice. It is worth noting that the hydroelectric power plant was built in a seismically dangerous zone (up to 8 points on the Richter scale), and sand and gravel were the ideal building material in such difficult conditions. At the moment of a possible earthquake, they should move and condense.

As it turned out, the crystal clear water of the Angara River required special quality concrete. At the beginning of the summer of 1954, a commemorative plate was laid at the base of the future building of the hydroelectric power station. It was she who began laying concrete. In addition, the construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station, the construction of which was already difficult, was built on an icy river with a fairly fast flow and in extremely harsh climatic conditions.

Dangerous situation

At the beginning of 1953, a flood suddenly began on the Angara, which became almost the most difficult test for hydraulic builders. The fact is that on the eve of the new year severe frosts hit, the river was covered with ice, but a strong current broke it and huge blocks rushed down, creating traffic jams. Soon the water began to rise rapidly and overflow over the dam. As a result, the Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power Plant, whose history of construction knows many difficulties, was under the threat of flooding.

All available pumps were used to pump out water. If at least one of them had failed at that moment, it would have led to complete flooding. Motorists and fitters did not leave the pit for almost three days, and at this time the workers built up the jumpers. A steady stream of cars loaded with gravel was already trudging through the partially flooded roads. Builders in icy clothes leveled the rock and filled it with water, creating impenetrable barriers. In the end, with heroic efforts, people still managed to defend the foundation pit and avoid huge losses.

Launch

In early July 1956, the Angara River was blocked, and its waters were directed through the building of the hydroelectric power station, which was still being completed. On December 29 of the same year, 82 months after the start of construction, one of its units was connected to the network. After 2 days gave a current and the second. In 1958, two more units were put into operation. After that, the Irkutsk HPP began to operate at full capacity.

It must be said that the reservoir of the hydroelectric power station was filled for 7 years. During this period of time, the backwater from the dam reached Baikal, so its level rose by 1.4 m. Now the valley of the Angara River has become the Baikal Bay, and the great lake has become the main regulating part of the Irkutsk reservoir.

Some numbers

The Irkutsk HPP, which has a history of more than half a century, is part of the unified system of Central Siberia. For its construction and operation, 138 thousand hectares of land had to be flooded, on which there were previously about 200 settlements, as well as sections of roads and railways. About 17 thousand peoplerelocated to other areas. At the moment, the Irkutsk HPP is generating electricity, the prices for which are considered the lowest in Russia.