Volkhovskaya hydroelectric power station

Subject / Architecture/Industrial architecture
Volkhovskaya hydroelectric power station is the first large Soviet hydroelectric power station. It is located on the river Volkhov and opened in the December 1926. The concept of using Volkhov rapids for "electrical energy transmission" has been first formulated as an engineer V.F. Dobrotvorsky to 1894.The charter of the Joint-Stock Company "Volkhov Society of electric energy" was approved in 1902. Projection of waterworks facility was in 1910-14 (engineers G.G .Krivoshein, B. Y.U. Kalinovich). In 1918 the construction was resumed.
Krivoshein directed the construction prior to departure abroad. In 1921 electric power station was built on the project and led by G.O. Grafts. The great ideological significance was attached to the Volkhovstroi as "the firstborn of Lenin's plan GOERLO". The construction was providing with the river transport (35 ships) and by rail (up to 200 goods wagons in day), telephone (290 telephone sets). The initial capacity of hydropower station was 58 MW and mainly electricity was came to Leningrad. At the beginning of Great Patriotic War the equipment was dismantled. In 1942 hydroelectric power station began work and provided the energy of the besieged city.
The hydroelectric power station was restored in 1944.In the engine room is located eight hydropower generating units with a capacity of 8 MW and two - to 1 MW. Vertical drop of water levels is 13.5 meters, the volume of the reservoir 4.3 cubic km. The complex of buildings includes the building of hydroelectric power station (length 140 m, the height distribution towers 53 meters), spillway dam (length 213 m), floodgate, sluice and fish-pass. This complex is the most important objects of the Volkhov Town. There is functional building with clearly traced shape, and nine arched glazed openings. It is create an interesting architectural image in the style of constructivism. Piryutko, Yuri Minayevich
Dobrotvorsky, Veniamin Fyodorovich
Graftio, Heinrich Osipovich
Kalinovich, B.Y.
Krivoshein, Grigory Grigoryevich
Topographical landmarks/Volkhov River, the
Leningrad Oblast, the/Volkhov District/Volkhov Town
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