State Commission for Electrification of Russia

State Commission for Electrification of Russia. It was a pivotal state body created by the Bolshevik government in early 1920 to develop a comprehensive national plan for economic recovery through electrification. Established by a Decree of the Council of People's Commissars and chaired by the engineer Gleb Krzhizhanovsky, its work culminated in the landmark GOELRO plan. The commission's efforts laid the foundational industrial and energy policy for the Soviet Union, transforming it from a war-ravaged state into a major industrial power.

History and establishment

The commission was established on 21 February 1920, during the final stages of the Russian Civil War, a period marked by severe economic collapse known as War Communism. The initiative was personally championed by Vladimir Lenin, who famously declared that "Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country." The decree was signed by Lenin and the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, Alexei Rykov. Its creation was influenced by pre-revolutionary electrification projects and the urgent need for post-war reconstruction. The commission began its work in Moscow, operating under the direct supervision of the Council of Labor and Defense.

GOELRO plan

The commission's primary output was the GOELRO plan (an acronym for its Russian name), a ten to fifteen-year strategy approved by the 8th All-Russian Congress of Soviets in December 1920. This document was the first unified state plan for the national economy of the emerging Soviet Union. The plan envisioned the construction of 30 large regional power stations, including iconic projects like the Kashira Power Plant and the Volkhov Hydroelectric Station. It integrated electrification with the development of key industries such as metallurgy around the Kuznetsk Basin and transportation, aiming to increase total power output dramatically.

Organizational structure and leadership

The commission was led by a presidium headed by Chairman Gleb Krzhizhanovsky, a close associate of Lenin and a prominent energy scientist. Its membership comprised over 200 leading scientists, engineers, and economists, including figures like Ivan Alexandrov, Robert Klasson, and Genrikh Graftio. It was organized into numerous specialized sections and subcommissions focusing on different regions and industrial sectors. The body worked in close coordination with the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Supreme Soviet of the National Economy, drawing expertise from institutions like the Moscow Power Engineering Institute.

Implementation and impact

Implementation began immediately after the plan's adoption, becoming a central component of the New Economic Policy. Major construction projects, such as the Shatura Power Station and the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station (DneproGES), became symbols of Soviet industrialization. The commission's work directly enabled the development of the First Five-Year Plan under Joseph Stalin. By 1935, the Soviet Union had surpassed the GOELRO plan's targets, with electricity generation increasing more than sevenfold. This rapid electrification powered new industrial cities like Magnitogorsk and revolutionized sectors from agriculture to manufacturing.

Legacy and successor organizations

The State Commission was formally dissolved in 1921 after presenting its final report, but its institutional legacy endured. Its planning methodology directly inspired the creation of the State Planning Committee (Gosplan), which directed the Soviet command economy for decades. The GOELRO plan is considered a prototype for all subsequent Soviet five-year plans. The commission's mission was continued by the People's Commissariat for Power Plants and the Electrical Industry, and later by the Ministry of Energy and Electrification of the USSR. Its foundational role is commemorated in Russian historiography and by monuments, including the Lenin's GOELRO plan memorial complex.

Category:Government agencies established in 1920 Category:Government agencies disestablished in 1921 Category:Economic history of the Soviet Union Category:Energy in Russia