Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station

Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station
Name	Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station
Country	Russia
Location	Bratsk, Irkutsk Oblast
Coordinates	56, 17, 10, N...
Construction began	1954
Opening	1967
Owner	EuroSibEnergo
Operator	Irkutskenergo
Dam type	Gravity, rock-fill
Reservoir name	Bratsk Reservoir
Reservoir capacity	169.27 km³
Ps units operational	18 × 250 MW
Ps electrical capacity	4,500 MW
Ps annual generation	22.6 TWh

Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station. It is a major gravity dam and power station on the Angara River, located near the city of Bratsk in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. Upon its completion in the 1960s, it was the world's largest power plant by installed capacity and remains one of the most significant engineering projects of the Soviet Union. The station forms the massive Bratsk Reservoir and is a cornerstone of the Angara-Yenisei Cascade, providing a substantial portion of electricity for the Siberian region and its energy-intensive industries.

History

The project was conceived as part of the ambitious post-war Soviet economic planning to industrialize Siberia. Authorized by a decree from the Council of Ministers of the USSR, construction was managed by the Ministry of Energy and Electrification of the USSR. The site was chosen for its favorable geology and the powerful flow of the Angara River. The first concrete was poured in 1954, and the station was officially commissioned in stages, with the final unit operational in 1967. Its construction was declared a Komsomol shock construction project, mobilizing thousands of workers, including many young volunteers. The achievement was widely celebrated in Soviet propaganda, symbolizing the triumph of socialist realism in engineering.

Design and construction

The station is a composite structure featuring a central concrete gravity dam section flanked by extensive rock-fill dam embankments. The design was led by the state institute Hydroproject, with significant input from engineers like Andrey Bekarevich. The powerhouse is integrated into the dam body and originally housed eighteen Francis turbine units. Construction involved pioneering techniques for Siberia's harsh climate, including winter concreting methods. A major challenge was diverting the Angara River through temporary cofferdams and tunnels. The creation of the Bratsk Reservoir, one of the world's largest by volume, required the extensive relocation of infrastructure and populations, including parts of the historic Bratsk Ostrog.

Technical specifications

The installed capacity is 4,500 MW, generated by eighteen units each rated at 250 MW. The average annual electricity production is approximately 22.6 TWh. The dam has a maximum height of 124.5 meters and a crest length of 1,452 meters. The Bratsk Reservoir has a surface area of 5,470 square kilometers and a staggering useful volume of 48.2 cubic kilometers. The station's switchyard connects to the unified Russian power system via high-voltage AC transmission lines, including links to the Irkutsk Aluminum Smelter and the Bratsk Timber Processing Complex.

Economic and social impact

The station became the primary power source for the rapid development of Eastern Siberia's industrial base. It enabled the establishment of massive facilities like the Bratsk Aluminum Plant operated by Rusal, and the Bratsk Forest Industry Complex. The project spurred the growth of the city of Bratsk into a major industrial center, attracting a large workforce. The cheap, abundant electricity was crucial for Soviet economic plans, including the development of the Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station further downstream. Control of the asset was later transferred to EuroSibEnergo following the privatization of the RAO UES of Russia.

Environmental impact

The creation of the Bratsk Reservoir flooded vast areas of taiga forest and agricultural land, altering the local ecosystem and microclimate. Significant methane emissions from the decaying submerged biomass have been studied. The dam blocks fish migration routes on the Angara River, impacting species like sturgeon. Changes in water temperature and flow regimes downstream have affected riparian zone habitats. The project also led to the displacement of numerous settlements and archaeological sites, a process documented by Soviet-era ethnographers.

See also

* Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station * Boguchany Hydroelectric Power Station * Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam * Krasnoyarsk Dam * Hydroelectric power in Russia * List of power stations in Russia

Category:Dams in Russia Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Russia Category:Buildings and structures in Irkutsk Oblast Category:1967 establishments in the Soviet Union