The Angara is a unique river. It is here that the largest complex of hydro-electric power plants in Russia is located: at the end of 2012, the Boguchanskaya HPP was launched, and Irkutsk, Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk stations are located upstream. Moreover, the leadership of the USSR planned to build seven stations on the Angara. Why so many and will the development of the Angara by power engineers continue?

ON THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE VSNKH

The first attempt to develop a scheme for using the Angara's water power was made in 1920. A well-known engineer, doctor of technical sciences, August Velner, submitted a report to the State Commission for Electrification of Russia on the Angara Water Power and the Possibilities of Using It, which talked about the cascade of hydroelectric power stations on the Angara. The project, bold in design, would make it possible to create a cascade of metallurgical and chemical plants next to a source of cheap energy.

A more detailed study of the issue began in 1930, when the Department for the Study of the Angarsk Problem appeared under the Supreme Council of the National Economy. In 1955, the scheme for the use of the Angara was approved. But the Lower Angara was not considered in it - the last hydroelectric power station on the river was planned to be Boguchanskaya.

At the end of 1956, 38 km from the mouth in the channel of the Angara, geologists found the Gorevskoye lead-zinc deposit (still one of the largest in the world). The leadership of the State Production Committee for Energy and Electrification of the USSR instructed Hydroproject to develop a scheme for the construction of a hydroelectric power station in the lower part of the Angara and the middle reaches of the Yenisei, taking into account the specifics of mining. Since then, the issue of protecting this field from flooding has become decisive in the development of hydropower schemes for the use of the Lower Angara.

By 1964, after comparing several options, a priority was revealed - the construction of the Sredne-Yenisei hydroelectric power station on the Yenisei above the confluence of the Angara, on the combined flow of two rivers. At the same time, it was proposed to block the Angara below the confluence of the Taseeva with a blind dam, and transfer the waters of the river through a specially dug channel to the reservoir of the Sredne-Yenisei hydroelectric power station, bypassing the Gorevsky field.

COLLAPSE OF THE USSR - CROSS ON THE PROJECT

In 1975, a feasibility study for the Sredne-Yeniseiskaya HPP with a capacity of more than 7,000 MW was approved. The station was proposed to be built in two phases. At the first stage, on the Yenisei, 17 km upstream of the confluence of the Angara, the Savinskaya HPP with a capacity of 3050 MW is being built. At the second stage, the Nizhne-Angara blind dam, a connecting canal through the Taseeva-Angara watershed and the second stage of the Sredne-Yenisei hydroelectric power station with a capacity of more than 4000 MW, operating on Angara water, are being built. This option made it possible to create a hydropower complex with a total capacity of up to 7440 MW and a generation of up to 34.3 billion kWh. electricity, to protect the Gorevsky deposit from flooding and flooding, to solve the problems of navigation in the Yenisei and the Lower Angara by flooding the Kazachinsky rapids and creating the Yenisei-Angara navigable canal.

However, subsequently the concept changed several times. In 1990, Hydroproject prepared another scheme for the use of the lower Angara as part of a cascade of three HPPs: Strelkovskaya (1600 MW), Vydumskaya (1320 MW), Nizhneangarskaya (660 MW). But after the collapse of the country, further developments were suspended.

PRIVATE INVESTMENT

Interest in the construction of a hydroelectric power station at the Nizhnyaya Angara resurfaced in the late 2000s. In 2008, the General Scheme for the Development of Electric Power Facilities until 2020 was approved, which included two stations from the 1990 scheme: Nizhneboguchanskaya (former Nizhneangarskaya) and Motyginskaya (former Vydumskaya). For the Motyginskaya HPP, the Lenhydroproekt Institute developed an investment feasibility study (the capacity of the plant was determined at 1082 MW), and the RusHydro company began assessing the impact of the construction of a new HPP on environment. But the crisis of 2008 led to a halt in work on this project.

Hydropower engineers say that the use of the potential of the Lower Angara is very attractive: the river is "tamed" - regulated by the already built reservoirs, which makes it possible to create powerful hydroelectric power plants with relatively small flood areas. The total electricity generation can be comparable to the Boguchanskaya HPP. Currently, the Lenhydroproject Institute is conducting research on the hydropower potential of the Angara river basin in the section from the Boguchanskaya HPP to the mouth. The result of the work should be an updated scheme for the hydropower use of the river, with the definition of sites for placement and parameters of promising hydroelectric power plants.

Eurosibenergo is also showing interest in the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Nizhnyaya Angara. The company announced plans to build the Nizhneangarskaya HPP with a capacity of 600-1200 MW.

A hydroelectric power plant is a complex of various structures and equipment, the use of which allows you to convert water energy into electricity. Hydraulic structures provide the necessary concentration of water flow, and further processes are carried out using appropriate equipment.

Hydroelectric power plants are built on rivers by constructing dams and reservoirs. Of great importance for the efficiency of the station is the choice of location. Two factors are necessary: ​​a guaranteed supply of water throughout the year and the greatest possible slope of the river. Hydroelectric power plants are divided into dam (the required level of the river is provided by the construction of the dam) and diversion (water is diverted from the river channel to a place with a large level difference).

The location of the station facilities may also differ. For example, the station building may be part of water structures (so-called run-of-river stations) or be located behind a dam (dam stations).

Krasnoyarsk HPP

• HPP (Hoover Dam in Nevada)

Technology

The work of hydroelectric power plants is based on the use of the kinetic energy of falling water. To convert this energy, a turbine and a generator are used. First, these devices generate mechanical energy, and then electricity. Turbines and generators can be installed directly in the dam or near it. In some cases, a pipeline is used, through which water under pressure is brought below the level of the dam or to the water intake of the hydroelectric power plant.

The necessary water pressure is formed through the construction of a dam, and as a result of the concentration of the river in a certain place, or by derivation - the natural flow of water. In some cases, both a dam and a derivation are used together to obtain the necessary water pressure.

All power equipment is located directly in the building of the hydroelectric power station. Depending on the purpose, it has its own specific division. In the engine room there are hydraulic units that directly convert the energy of the water current into electrical energy. There are also all kinds of additional equipment, control and monitoring devices for the operation of the hydroelectric power station, a transformer station, switchgear and much more.

Hydroelectric stations are divided depending on the generated power:

• powerful - produce from 25 MW and above;
• medium - up to 25 MW;
• small hydroelectric power plants - up to 5 MW.

How does such a device ensure the conversion of water energy into electricity? An explosion of a certain amount of substance occurs in the chamber. The blast wave of liquid passes through the barrel and enters the cylinder. As a result, the turbine blades rotate, which, in turn, is the reason for the operation of the hydrogenerator.

According to the developers of the project, the most important condition for ensuring the effectiveness of the invention is the correct calculation of the weight of the blast wave required to produce a wave, and not a splash. In addition, the periodicity of explosions must be accurately calculated, which will make it possible to avoid interruptions in the operation of the device and not to reduce the speed of rotation of the blades. Other variants of such installations are under development.

Hydrostorage power plants

The sign at the Kiev PSP

In the period of low loads, the hydroelectric units of the station are busy pumping water from the downstream reservoir to the upstream one. During increased load, the stored water is used to generate peak energy. Reversible hydraulic units ensure the operation of turbine and pumping modes and are a combination of a synchronous electric machine and a hydraulic pump-turbine.

The energy that is spent on pumping is generated by the TPP during a reduced load, when its cost is not too high. That is, cheap nighttime electricity is converted into expensive. Economic efficiency, as can be seen, is quite high. The undoubted advantage of this type of hydroelectric power station is the presence of a high pressure. This allows the installation of more efficient batteries. There are also stations of mixed type. Some of the hydraulic units installed there are capable of operating in two modes: turbine and pumping. The other part works only in turbine mode. The use of such stations makes it possible to accumulate large quantity water and therefore produce more electricity during periods of increased load.

Tidal power plants

tidal power plant

To create an economical tide station, certain natural conditions are necessary. In particular, there should be a large difference in levels during low tide and high tide (at least six meters), features of the coastline that allow the creation of a dam and a water basin of appropriate size.

It is not so easy to find such places on our planet. These are the coast of the US state of Maine, the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the Persian Gulf, certain regions of Argentina, southern England, northern France, and the northern regions of the European part of Russia. However, even the stations built in these regions would not be able to adequately compete with the already operating TPPs in terms of the cost of energy produced.

Tidal power projects typically include two basins. These are upstream and downstream reservoirs. Each of them must be supplemented with culverts and gates. At high tide, the upper pool fills with water, and then gives all the water to the lower one, which is emptied at low tide.

History of hydropower

Man has always lived near water bodies and could not help but pay attention to the huge potential of water as an energy source. Therefore, the history of hydropower dates back to ancient times. Even then, people learned to use water to grind grain or blow air when smelting metal.

Gradually, the mechanisms improved, and the water wheels became more and more efficient. At the end of the nineteenth century came modern stage in the development of hydropower. But the full-scale use of water resources began only in the twentieth century, or rather, in the thirties, when water began to be used by man to generate electricity. It was at this time that the construction of large hydroelectric power plants began in the world.

Hydropower has gone through a rather long and interesting path of development and continues to develop, endowing a person with new opportunities. AT this section we will go step by step through the path made by hydropower for many centuries, consider the stages and features of its development, from water wheels used in the era of antiquity and the Middle Ages, to modern hydroelectric power stations that appeared already in the twentieth century.

Ancient and medieval hydropower

Water Mill

It is difficult to say when man began to use water resources for energy. The earliest references to such processes date back to the fourth century BC. At the same time, scientists tend to believe that the use of water occurred in parallel in many regions of the planet. By the way, archaeologists have found evidence that water resources were also exploited on the territory of the former Soviet Union: on the territory of modern Armenia and in the Amu Darya river basin.

The ancient Greeks used the water wheel to lighten some types of heavy lifting. manual labor. For example, this device carried out the grinding of grain. Gradually, technologies improved, the number of water wheels in European countries grew steadily. So, in the eleventh century in England and France, one mill accounted for two hundred and fifty people. According to historians, around the thirteenth century, water mills appeared in medieval Russia, or rather, in its southwestern and northeastern regions.

Over time, the scope of devices has also increased. Water mills ensured the operation of fuller factories and pumping pumps, participated in sawing wood, helped a person brew beer, and were used in oil mills. Until the eighteenth century, only lower battle wheels were used. Later, medium- and lower-piercing water wheels appeared.

Hydropower in the nineteenth century

water turbine

The achievements of previous centuries could no longer satisfy the needs of man in the nineteenth century. The impetus for the further development of hydropower was given by the invention of water turbines. Although attempts to create a more advanced mechanism compared to the water wheel have been made before. So, back in the sixteenth century in the Urals, a high-speed whorled wheel with a vertical shaft was used. In such mechanisms, water fell on the curved blades of the wheel from a special gutter.

Subsequently, free-jet water turbines were arranged in a similar way. But a full-fledged water turbine was created only at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its creation is the merit of several talented inventors. One of them was the Russian researcher I. Safonov, who in 1837 installed a water turbine designed by him on the Neiva River. Two years later, Safonov improved his own invention by installing a slightly modified turbine at one of the local factories. In parallel with Safonov, the French scientist Fourneuron worked on the creation of water turbines. The device he invented was presented in 1834. The inventions made by both scientists quickly gained popularity, and over the next fifty years, a wide variety of turbines appeared.

Already at the end of the nineteenth century, an event takes place that will actually open the modern stage in the history of world hydropower. In 1891, the Russian engineer M.O. Dolivo-Dobrovolsky, who lives in Germany and left Russia because of his political unreliability, arrived in the city of Frankfurt am Main to participate in an electrical exhibition. There he had to demonstrate his invention - an alternating current motor. Then such an attraction was generally a novelty, but the author decided to supplement it with another structure.

It was a hydroelectric power plant. In the small town of Lauffen, Dolivo-Dobrovolsky installed a three-phase current generator, which was rotated by a small water turbine. The generated electricity was supplied to the exhibition area via a transmission line. Its length was 175 kilometers. Today, no one is surprised by lines with a length of several thousand kilometers, but in those days all this was an undeniable sensation. The era of hydroelectric power has begun.

Hydroelectric power in the twentieth century

HPP Hoover USA

Despite the discovery of Dolivo-Dobrovolsky, the further development of hydropower was slowed down by some objective factors. The construction of large hydroelectric power plants that would be really efficient proved to be a more complex undertaking than the experimental plant shown at the exhibition. After all, to make large turbines rotate, a significant supply of water is needed.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, such construction seemed rather difficult. During the first two decades of the new century, only a few hydroelectric power plants were built. But that was only the beginning. Already in the thirties, large stations were built, for example, the Hoover hydroelectric power station in the USA with a capacity of 1.3 Gigawatts.

Another highlight in the history of American hydropower was the opening of the Adams hydroelectric power station, located on Niagara Falls. Its power reached 37 MW. The launch of such powerful hydroelectric power plants led to an increase in the amount of energy consumed in industrialized countries, which, in turn, gave impetus to programs for the development of hydropower potentials.

Ust-Kamenogorsk HPP

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the development of Russian hydropower was very slow. So, in 1913, about fifty thousand hydraulic power plants functioned on the territory of the Russian Empire. Their total capacity was about a million horsepower. At the same time, about seventeen thousand installations were equipped with hydroturbines.

The total annual electricity generation at all hydroelectric power plants did not exceed thirty-five million kilowatts per hour with an installed capacity of about 16 MW. At the same time, in many European countries, the total capacity was approximately 12,000 MW. The situation changed after the October Revolution. The new government was well aware of the importance of developing the industry.

Already on June 13, 1918, it was decided to start construction of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station, which became the first project of the Soviet hydropower industry, and its capacity was 58 MW. Already in the first years of Soviet power, a plan for the electrification of the country (GOELRO) was developed, which was approved on December 22, 1920. One of the chapters of the plan was called "Electrification and water energy." It noted that the use of hydroelectric power plants could be beneficial in case of integrated use.

The plan provided for the construction of a hydroelectric power station with a total capacity of 21,254,000 horsepower. At the same time, in the European part of Russia, the total capacity of the stations will be 7394, in Turkestan - 3020, in Siberia - 10840 thousand horsepower. It was planned to build ten hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 640 MW.

The first Soviet hydroelectric power plant was the Lenin Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Plant in Zaporozhye. Back in 1921, Lenin signed the decision to start construction, and the construction itself began in 1927. The first unit was launched in 1932, and it was possible to reach the design capacity in 1939. It amounted to 560 MW. During the construction of the dam, the famous rapids of the Dnieper were flooded, which made the river completely navigable.

For several decades Soviet Union became one of the leaders in the world hydropower industry. For example, in the early seventies, the Soviet hydropower industry was second only to the American in terms of installed capacity. The construction of hydroelectric power stations was carried out on the Volga, Kama, Don, Dnieper, Svir and other large rivers.

This made it possible to turn them into waterways of the European part of the country, significantly increase the water level in the rivers and, as a result, obtain an integral shipping system that connected the Caspian, Black, Azov, Baltic and White seas. By the end of the seventies of the twentieth century, the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world were built. These are Sayano-Shushenskaya and Krasnoyarskaya, located on the Yenisei River, Bratskaya and Ust-Ilimskaya (Angara River), Nurekskaya (Vakhsh River), Volzhskaya.

World hydropower in the 21st century

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, hydropower provides up to sixty-three percent of the world's renewable energy. This is nineteen percent of the world's electricity. The installed hydropower capacity is 715 GW.

Countries such as Norway, Iceland and Canada are leaders in generating hydropower per citizen. China is the most active in the construction of hydroelectric power plants. For this state, hydropower is the most promising source of energy and, obviously, it will soon become the main one. In addition, it is China that is the world leader in the number of small hydroelectric power plants.

The largest hydropower plants are located in China (Sanxia on the Yangtze River, Brazil (Itaipu on the Parana River and Tukurui on the Tocantin River), Venezuela (Guri on the Caroni River). The hydropower industry is also developing in Russia. Russian Federation there are one hundred and two hydroelectric power stations.

The total capacity of all operating Russian hydroelectric units is forty-five million kilowatts (this is the fifth largest in the world). At the same time, the share of hydroelectric power plants in the total amount of Russian energy received is twenty-one percent. And this is not so much, especially considering that Russia is in second place in terms of economic potential hydro resources (about 852 billion kilowatts per hour). But these resources have been developed only by twenty percent.

Prospects for hydropower

Without a doubt, energy supply is one of the most actual problems humanity. The world's oil and gas reserves are rapidly decreasing and the day when they will be completely exhausted is not far off. Everyone understands this, and therefore every year an increasing number of specialists are studying the possibilities of their equivalent replacement. Today there are several areas of alternative energy: the use solar energy and wind energy, bioenergy, geothermal energy.

Each of these areas has certain advantages and disadvantages. And so it is necessary to decide: what alternative energy source is best suited to meet the needs of mankind and at the same time causes minimal damage to nature.

Global Hydropower Potential

The potential for hydropower can be determined by summing up all the river flows that exist on the planet. Calculations showed that the world potential is equal to fifty billion kilowatts per year. But even this very impressive figure is only a quarter of the amount of precipitation that falls annually throughout the world.

Taking into account the conditions of each specific region and the state of the world's rivers, the actual potential of water resources is from two to three billion kilowatts. These figures correspond to an annual energy production of 10,000-20,000 billion kilowatts per hour (UN data are given).

To understand the potential of hydropower, expressed by these figures, it is necessary to compare the obtained data with the indicators of oil thermal power plants. To generate this amount of electricity, oil-fired stations would require about forty million barrels of oil every day.

At the same time, the question does not lose its relevance: what share of this natural wealth can humanity afford to use? To answer this question, it is necessary to imagine the possible consequences of the operation of hydroelectric power plants for the environment.

Main advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of hydropower are obvious. Of course, the main advantage of hydro resources is their renewability: the supply of water is practically inexhaustible. At the same time, hydro resources are significantly ahead of other types of renewable energy sources in development and are able to provide energy to large cities and entire regions.

In addition, it is quite easy to use this source of energy, as evidenced by the long history of hydropower. For example, hydroelectric generators can be turned on or off depending on the demand. The cost of building hydroelectric power plants is quite low.

At the same time, the issue of the impact of hydropower on the environment is quite controversial. On the one hand, the operation of hydroelectric power plants does not lead to environmental pollution with harmful substances.

But at the same time, the formation of reservoirs requires the flooding of large areas, often fertile, and this causes negative changes in nature. For example, dams often block the way for fish to spawn, but at the same time, due to this circumstance, the number of fish in reservoirs increases significantly and fishing develops.

Environmental aspects of the use of hydropower

Without a doubt, hydropower in the future should not have a negative impact on the environment or reduce it to a minimum. At the same time, it is necessary to achieve maximum use of hydro resources.

This is understood by many specialists, and therefore the problem of preserving the natural environment during active hydraulic engineering construction is more relevant than ever. At present, an accurate forecast of the possible consequences of the construction of hydrotechnical facilities is especially important. It should answer many questions regarding the possibility of mitigating and overcoming undesirable environmental situations that may arise during construction. In addition, it is necessary comparative evaluation environmental efficiency of future hydroelectric facilities. True, such plans are still far from being implemented.

21/07/2010

In 1920, the GOELRO plan was adopted. 90 years after the construction of the first Soviet hydroelectric power station, it's time to figure out if hydraulic engineering is needed today - in times of innovation, modernization and nanotechnology? Is the specialty of hydraulic engineering promising, or will it be talked about with a condescending smile in ten years? Online812 looked for answers at the St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University - from the doctor of technical sciences, professor of the engineering and construction faculty (formerly called hydrotechnical) of St. Petersburg State Pedagogical University Vladimir BUKHARTSEV.

- Hydraulic engineering - is it still relevant? Is it only a hydroelectric power station, or is its area much wider?
- The most important branches of hydraulic engineering are: hydropower, engineering melioration, water transport, etc. Still - the fight against the harmful manifestations of the water element, that is, floods and floods. These sections of hydraulic engineering will be in demand in 20 years, and in the longer term.

- What is the main advantage of hydroelectric power plants? Because we have more water than sun?
- In efficiency and reliability. In the entire Russian energy complex, it is hydroelectric power plants that create a reserve of regulating capacity. And this is a key element of ensuring system reliability. Remember: when the accident occurred at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, the region was not left without electricity for a minute. Because the neighboring power plants located on the Yenisei immediately made up for this failure. Of all the existing types of power plants, it is hydroelectric power plants that are the most maneuverable, capable of instantly turning on an additional power unit and significantly increasing electricity generation, if there is such a need, if there is a peak load. It seems to me that in the future we will have two types of power plants: nuclear, which will provide the main amount of energy, a constant, powerful flow, and hydroelectric power plants - for additional load. Or maybe there will be other types of energy, about which nothing is known now. For example, hydrogen, which is now nowhere really used, although hydrogen can be obtained directly from the air.

What about wind and solar stations?
- wind and solar energy account for about 3-5 percent of the total balance and cannot compete with hydropower. And then they demand the alienation of land, so it will not be possible to quickly flood all regions with them. Although, as an additional type of energy, they could work very well, serving one block - one house. For example, where the supply of power lines from the main power plant is too difficult and costly. Imagine a lighthouse five hundred kilometers from the nearest locality. Put a turntable and a generator next to it - and the lighthouse will shine by itself.

- Geothermal energy is not used in our country?
- Volcanoes - no, but geysers that work constantly are capable of both heating rooms and even giving electricity. It seems that there are several small complexes in Kamchatka that use this type of energy.

They say that in some southern villages people block rivers, put up homemade generators and - please, have their own hydroelectric power station, however, on a public channel. Is it possible?
- You don't even need a homemade generator here, such toys are sold in stores in Europe or America. Of course, you can’t take this seriously ... But if you have a stream running through your summer cottage and you want to get an alternative source of energy, you can try. The height of the "structure" between the upstream and downstream should be at least two meters, then there is a chance that the turbine will work.

- In the world as a whole, what is the attitude towards hydropower?
- According to 2005 data, it provides up to 19 percent of all electricity in the world. The installed capacity of hydraulic installations reaches 715 GW. In terms of kilowatts per capita, the leaders in hydropower generation are Norway, Iceland and Canada. Now the most active hydro construction is carried out by China, where about half of all small hydroelectric power plants in the world and the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, have been built. Like all countries with a rapidly developing economy, China has relied on hydroelectric power stations, and now hydraulic stations are almost the only potential source of energy there. Hydroelectric power plants are a very capital-intensive enterprise: construction is expensive, but maintenance costs a penny. But not all countries can afford it.

- In Africa, hydroelectric power plants were built with the help of Russian specialists. So will it continue?
- I have fears that sooner or later the Chinese will force them out. But in Africa they really take this issue very seriously. Our graduate Hamidi Ahmet, who built a hydroelectric power station in Morocco, said that his status in those years corresponded to that of a minister. For example, he was given a private jet.

- And European countries will then want to return from nuclear power plants to the hydroelectric power station - or is it already impossible?
- In many countries, the hydropower potential is fully utilized, so it is impossible to build new stations. Switzerland uses 99 percent of the potential, France - 89%, the USA and Japan - 82, Canada - 66, Brazil - 44. And Russia only 20. The construction of hydroelectric power plants will inevitably develop in the Far East and Eastern Siberia - by the way, the hydropower potential is used there only by five percent. In addition, the drought in 2010 reminded that it is necessary to develop land reclamation construction - the creation of irrigated areas for agricultural production in the southern and central regions of Russia. By the way, I think that the idea of ​​diverting the flow of Siberian rivers to save the Aral Sea is not so crazy, and they will return to it anyway, not in this, but in the next decade. And now there are talks about it from time to time.

- That is, we will save the Central Asian republics with our water?
- And Russia will acquire a colossal lever for influence in the politics of all Central Asian states.

With the advent of any hydroelectric power plant, the environment suffers. Rivers are blocked, vast territories are flooded, flora and fauna are changing, and in the future, the climate. Can this serve as a limitation for the development of hydropower?
- Alienation of territories is required by almost all types of economic activity: construction of cities, roads, metallurgical plants. Every human step on earth affects the environment. But a person will not walk in such a way as to step on his own foot. At the design stage, all objects of the proposed construction are evaluated, all positive effects are weighed, commensurate with the negative impact. Only after such an analysis the decision is made. Or not accepted. The restriction for the development of hydropower can only be the restriction of the needs of society. True, I myself am not enthusiastic about small hydropower on small rivers. That's where the fishery can be seriously damaged, and meanwhile little energy will be received. However, at most of our stations they have realized the danger that can be caused to valuable fish species, and they are trying not to put obstacles in the way of their migration. To save, say, sturgeon or salmon, on such rivers as the Don, Volga, Dnieper, Ob, Tuloma, Kura, Yenisei, Daugava, fish passes and fish elevators were built - special checkpoints.

- The Yenisei in the area of ​​the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station has turned into a navigable dead end. Is it economically justified?
- This problem arises during the construction of all hydroelectric power plants. And they are solved. Well, in the area of ​​the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP there is no special traffic, a wild land. Other places are trying to solve the problem. A ship lift operates in Krasnoyarsk, which raises and lowers ships. Somewhere they make branch channels. But it’s easier to organize a transshipment point with barge unloading, loading of contents into trucks or trains…

- In this century, we will no longer have gigantic construction projects of hydroelectric power plants?
- they seem gigantic only for the townsfolk. There are hydroelectric power stations in the world that are several times larger than our Sayano-Shushenskaya in terms of capacity and reservoir volume. There are big construction projects going on right now. For example, the Zaramagsky hydroelectric complex and the Nizhne-Cherkessky, Motyginskaya, Nizhne-Bureiskaya hydroelectric power stations, the Boguchanskaya hydroelectric power station, which is already being completed.

- Where is hydropower developing, and what will hydropower plants look like in 30 - 50 years?
- The principle will remain the same: transformation mechanical energy water flow into electricity. The appearance will remain the same, the equipment will undergo modernization, which will allow reaching a higher efficiency. For example, new nanotechnological materials with a reduced coefficient of friction will appear, from which turbines will be made. Although it's hard to believe now.

It is believed that the main problem of Russian hydroelectric power plants is that they were built long ago and dilapidated. What to do with them now - to restore or build new ones?
- The problem is not in the HPPs themselves, but in relation to them. Indeed, many HPPs built according to the GOELRO plan have been operating for more than 75 years. But at those HPPs where planned preventive repair work, there are no symptoms of decay. After all, the Peter and Paul Fortress cannot be called dilapidated. And Isaakievsky, which was erected on wooden piles. The most vulnerable element of a hydroelectric power station is its equipment - turbines, generators, transformers. They are being changed… They have recently been updated at the Svetogorskaya and Lesogorskaya HPPs.

- And why then did the accident happen at Sayano-Shushenskaya? Or is it a mystery?
- There is no mystery and never was. There are two reasons. Low professional competence service personnel, more precisely, people on whom decision-making depends. And the greed of the oligarchs, who sought to minimize service staff, including the one on which the reliable operation of the hydroelectric power station depended.

- The iceberg that grew on the dam of the SSHHPP during this winter threatened its condition - could the dam break through?
- From the point of view of mechanics, an increase in the vertical load, which was the ice on the ice, increases the stability of the dam. The horizontal load from the water pressure from the side of the reservoir did not increase during the winter. Therefore, there was no danger.

REFERENCE
The GOELRO plan, designed for 10-15 years, provided for the construction of 30 regional power plants (20 TPPs and 10 HPPs) with a total capacity of 1.75 million kW. Among others, it was planned to build Shterovskaya, Kashirskaya, Gorkovskaya, Shaturskaya and Chelyabinskaya regional thermal power plants, as well as hydroelectric power stations - Nizhegorodskaya, Volkhovskaya, Dneprovskaya, two stations on the Svir River, etc. The plan was basically overfulfilled by 1931. Electricity generation in 1932 compared to 1913 increased not by 4.5 times, as planned, but by almost 7 times: from 2 to 13.5 billion kWh.

To develop an electrification project, on February 21, 1920, the State Commission for the Electrification of Russia (GOELRO) was created. In December 1920, the plan worked out by the commission was approved by the VIII All-Russian Congress of Soviets, and a month before that, V. Lenin said that “communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country.” However, the preparation of a large-scale electrification project for Russia was carried out even before the 1917 revolution .

HYDROPOWER IN THE WORLD
The absolute leader in the production of hydropower per capita is Iceland. In addition to it, this figure is high in Norway, Canada, and Sweden. The most active hydro-construction at the beginning of the 2000s is carried out by China.

PROS AND CONS OF HYDROPOWER
- The cost of electricity at Russian HPPs is more than two times lower than at thermal power plants.

Hydroelectric generators can be turned on and off quickly enough depending on the energy consumption.

Significantly less impact on the air than other types of power plants.

The construction of hydroelectric power plants is more capital intensive.

Often HPPs are remote from consumers.

Reservoirs occupy large areas; since the 1960s, protective structures have been used in the USSR to limit the area of ​​the reservoir.

Dams change the nature of fisheries by blocking the way to spawning grounds for migratory fish, but often favoring an increase in fish stocks in the reservoir itself .

Zeya HPP - one of the largest in Russiaand the second largest in the Far East. It is located in the Amur region, near the city of Zeya and plays a special role in the Far Eastern energy system.

The Zeya HPP in the Amur Region opened the history of large hydropower in the Far East 35 years ago. It was built in a harsh climate, original in design and unique in terms of technical solution.

"Track" spillway:

There are 6 hydroelectric units installed in the HPP building, the total capacity of which is 1,330 MW, average annual output 4,910 million kilowatt hours. In the Far East, only the Bureya hydroelectric power station has recently surpassed the capacity of the Zeya hydroelectric power station, which will also be discussed soon.

The Zeya HPP has a number of unique features. The hydroelectric dam is almost 116 meters high. The highlight of the station is its turbines. Zeya HPP is the first in Russia with diagonal hydro turbines. Such turbines are structurally more complicated, but they can work effectively with large fluctuations in water pressure.

Another funny feature is that a whole colony of ground squirrels lives on the territory of the Zeya hydroelectric power station:

These are such medium-sized rodents of the squirrel family. They are known for their habit of standing up in danger and making characteristic whistling sounds. (Photo by Bob Cuthill):

Gates are devices that allow you to control the flow of water through the dam:

View from the crest of the dam:

From the crane located on the ridge, you can evaluate the water level difference created by the dam:

Engine room:

Hydro generator shaft:

And here we are inspiral chamber, to the beginning of the beginning - the place where the water moves to the turbine and spins it. It is even difficult to imagine the scale of the process taking place here, while the generator is running.

Water conduit of the Zeya hydroelectric power station:

This is where you can see the rotor. It is forbidden for people to be inside while the generator is running, but if you really want to, you can do it for a while.The rotation speed of this colossus is 136.4 revolutions per minute:

But the most interesting thing is the internal spaces of the dam. Due to the fact that the dam is massive, there is a lot of empty space inside it. On the lower floors it is quite damp, there is a slight fog and it smells like in the metro construction:

Floors”, of which there are as many as 6!

The chain from the old embankment, destroyed in 2007 by a powerful flood:

Zeya HPP with holiday lighting on:

Sculpture of Zeya, installed here in 1981. Arrows symbolize the energy that the wayward mountain river Zeya conquered by man gives:

Transformers:

Views of my native Amur region around the dam:

It was a small excursion to the Zeya hydroelectric power station.

Bureyskaya HPP is the largest HPP in the Far East and one of the most modern power plants in Russia. Let's get to know her better.

The Bureyskaya HPP is located in the Amur Region on the Bureya River, which in the Evenk language means "big river". The river originates in the mountains at an altitude of 1700 m at the junction of the Aesop and Dusse-Alin ridges.

Concrete gravity dam with a height of 140 meters is the highest dam of this type in our country:

With an installed capacity of 2010 MW, Bureyskaya HPP is one of the ten largest hydroelectric power plants in Russia. The spillway of the hydroelectric power station is designed in such a way that water flows collide with each other and mutually extinguish their energy:

View from the crest of the dam:

Conduits:

140 meters:

Crane on the crest of the dam:

View of the HPP from the left bank:

Construction of coastal fortifications:

Inside: a beautiful and spacious hall:

Engine room:

The capacity of one such hydro unit is 335 MW. It's a lot. For example, the power of all HPP is 455 MW:

Spiral chamber:

Remote Control:

One of the most interesting and beautiful places on the largest - this is KRUE 500. Stands for "complete switchgear with SF6 gas insulation for 500 kV". To the layman, this doesn't say much:

Interestingly, if you breathe in SF6 gas, your voice will become low, turn into a roar (an action opposite to that of helium):

Tunnels inside the dam:

It would seem that a hydroelectric power plant is an ideal engineering structure.

In addition to generating electricity without emitting carbon monoxide or leaving behind radioactive waste, there are many more advantages.

As a result of the construction of the hydroelectric power station, reservoirs are created in which it is possible to successfully breed fish. Trees are planted on the banks of these artificial reservoirs, forming parks for people to relax.

Sometimes it seems that having created a hydroelectric power station, a person has finally learned to use the environment for his own purposes without destroying it.

Governments of all countries are actively financing the construction of new hydroelectric power plants, demonstrating their commitment to environmental progress.

But do these power plants use the "renewable resources of the planet", as they are commonly called. After all, the water cycle in nature does not stop and the rivers continue to fill with water.

There are some aspects that country leaders do not like to make public. Namely, how huge platinums built for the operation of power plants affect nature. After all, in order for the hydroelectric power station to start generating electricity, it is necessary to accumulate water in artificial reservoirs, and then dump it.it through hydro turbines.

Are these platinums really harmless to nature?

So, for example, in Brazil, the unique Xingu rainforest was on the verge of extinction after the construction of a dam of a power plant on the local river began there.


In April 2014, Energy Week was held in Malaysia, during which a project for the construction of dams on the Baram River on the island of Barneo was discussed. The construction of patinas should be carried out within the framework of the "renewable energy corridor" program. The electricity received from the hydroelectric power station will be used both for its own needs and for export.

Many participants were skeptical about such an initiative, pointing out that the construction will lead to global changes in the ecosystem. According to some scientists, the term "renewable resources" is not applicable here, since such large-scale interventions in nature can lead to the extinction of some species.animals and plants.

According to critics, the channels of such large rivers as Baram and Xingu should not be touched, it is better to build hydroelectric power plants on smaller rivers, then the consequences will not be sodestructive. The electricity generated by these HPPs should be used to power the surrounding regions, and not be exported.