Pure energy
The generation of electricity from the energy of moving water in Russia began at the end of the 19th century. Hydrogeneration technologies were radically improved during the Soviet era and further developed in the Russian Federation. Over time, hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) have proven their reliability, with their main advantage being significant generation volumes with zero carbon footprint.
Hydropower for centuries
The first hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Russia was built in 1892 on the Berezovka River in the Rudny Altai. The next HPP, the Okhtinskaya, began operating in 1895 in St. Petersburg to supply power to the Okhta gunpowder factory. In 1896, the Pavlovskaya HPP was launched in the Irkutsk Governorate. In 1903, the “White Coal” station started supplying electricity to the Mineralnye Vody resort. These and similar projects were local and aimed at solving specific tasks—providing electricity to individual facilities.
The HPP on the Volkhov River, designed by engineer Heinrich Graftio in 1902, is still operational today. Interest in the project was shown only in 1918 by the Supreme Council of the National Economy of the RSFSR and the head of the Council of People’s Commissars, Vladimir Lenin. Initially, construction progressed slowly, but it accelerated after the station was included in the GOELRO plan. The first hydro unit of the Volkhov HPP was launched almost a century ago, in 1926, and the station reached full capacity the following year.
«…Plus, the electrification of the entire country»
A global approach on a national scale was demonstrated by academician Vladimir Vernadsky. At the beginning of the 20th century, he developed a large-scale plan for the electrification of Russia, but it was only in 1920 that it was used as the basis for the GOELRO plan (State Commission for the Electrification of Soviet Russia). Its development began on Lenin’s initiative, and it was then that he uttered his historic phrase: “Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the entire country.” The GOELRO plan was the world’s first example of a comprehensive state approach to the development of energy in general and hydropower in particular. It envisioned the construction of 30 power plants with a total capacity of 1.75 million kW, including 10 HPPs. It was designed for 15 years but was significantly exceeded during that time.
On December 26, 1920, the initial version of the GOELRO plan was presented at the VIII All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers’, Peasants’, Red Army, and Cossacks’ Deputies. Less than a year later, the plan was approved by the Council of People’s Commissars. By 1932, electricity generation had increased not by 4.5 times, as planned, but by almost 7 times—from 2 billion kWh to 13.5 billion kWh.
The construction of HPPs was intended not only to solve the problem of supplying energy to the growing industrial centres of the USSR but also to help develop transport and agricultural infrastructure and protect lands from floods. For example, the Volga cascade of HPPs improved navigation on the main river artery of European Russia and enhanced irrigation of the surrounding areas.
State approach
Initially, foreign specialists were involved in the construction of HPPs, and foreign equipment was purchased. In 1927, one of the main cost items in the construction of the Dnieper HPP (Dneproges) was the purchase of American generators and turbines. The head of construction, Alexander Winter, proposed deviating from the original project approved by American hydropower engineers. Instead of installing 13 American turbines with a capacity of 30,000 kW each, he decided to install nine turbines with a capacity of 60,000 kW each, which were modernised at the Leningrad plant “Electrosila.” As a result, the total capacity of Dneproges significantly increased, and the construction time was almost halved—requiring only one phase instead of two.
Three trusts were established in Moscow in 1930 to implement large-scale HPP construction. “Hydroelectric Construction” became the key organisation for the design and construction of hydroelectric power plants. “Hydroenergoproject” mainly studied the river hydropower potential across the country and developed schemes for its use. “Hydroproject” developed construction projects for specific facilities, including the Moscow-Volga Canal and the Volga cascade of HPPs.
In the 1930s, the implementation of the “Great Volga” plan began, which involved the construction of a series of large hydroelectric power plants on the Volga and Kama rivers. The construction of the first HPPs of the “Great Volga,” the Uglich and Rybinsk HPPs, began in 1935. In addition to the construction of the stations themselves, work was carried out to prepare for filling reservoirs, with the Rybinsk Reservoir being the largest in the world at the time of its creation. The Uglich HPP was launched in 1940, and the Rybinsk HPP was launched at the end of 1941, after the start of the Great Patriotic War.
Their importance during the German advance on Moscow cannot be overstated. During the battles, Moscow’s thermal power plants lacked fuel and were practically inoperative. Battles were raging on the outskirts of Moscow, and strategic facilities were being evacuated. The Uglich and Rybinsk HPPs took on the task of supplying energy to the population and important industrial facilities of the city.
Post-war construction
After the war, the USSR faced the task of not only restoring the destroyed HPPs but also building new, much more powerful stations.
From 1948 to 1950, the construction of several large hydroelectric power plants in the European part of Russia began. On the Volga, Kama, and Don rivers, five HPPs were simultaneously under construction—the Tsimlyanskaya (capacity—164 MW), Kama (504 MW), Gorky (400 MW), Kuibyshev (2300 MW), and Stalingrad (2563 MW). Over 15 years, starting in 1945, the capacity of Russia’s hydroelectric power plants increased from 1.3 GW to 14.8 GW—more than tenfold.
The USSR not only built its own HPPs but also played a key role in the construction of hydroelectric power plants in China in the 1950s and 1960s. Soviet engineers designed and built the largest energy facilities in China at the time—the Suphun HPP and the Sanmenxia hydro complex.
The development of hydropower in China led to significant changes. The implementation of large-scale hydropower projects allowed the country to become a world leader in the production of environmentally friendly hydroelectric power, contributing to economic development and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Development of Siberian rivers
In the 1950s, the industrial development of Siberia began. This is one of the largest comprehensive projects in Russian history, affecting the most significant aspects of the country’s economy—energy, industry, agriculture, and construction. The world’s largest enterprises were built, and new cities were established. The implementation of the Angara-Yenisei project in Siberia led to the formation of several large territorial production complexes, which included HPPs to provide energy to new settlements and industries.
As part of the Angara-Yenisei project, the second most powerful HPP in Russia, the Krasnoyarsk HPP (6000 MW), was built on the Yenisei River in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Construction of the station began in 1956, and the first hydro unit was commissioned in 1967. Construction was completed in 1972.
The Krasnoyarsk HPP used unique hydro units with a capacity of 500 MW each, which was unprecedented at the time. This allowed the size of the HPP to be significantly reduced without reducing the station’s design capacity.
The Krasnoyarsk HPP played a key role in the development of the industry in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, providing electricity to large metallurgical and machine-building enterprises in the region. In addition, the HPP’s reservoir improved navigation conditions on the Yenisei and provided flood protection for coastal areas.
Fyodor Zigfrid, chairman of the Veterans’ Council of the Krasnoyarsk HPP, recalled that in the early years of the station’s operation, one could only enter the machine hall in boots. “Now a woman can enter this hall in shoes and not get her feet dirty. Inside the building, it’s like a museum: everything is clean and orderly,” the energy worker added.
The largest HPP in the world
In March 1957, the Angara River was blocked for the construction of the Bratsk HPP, the second stage of the Angara cascade. In July 1961, the filling of the Bratsk Reservoir began. In 1963, the HPP began operation.
From 1963 to 1971, the Bratsk HPP was the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world in terms of installed capacity (4.5 GW). The station played a key role in the creation of the Bratsk-Ust-Ilimsk territorial-production complex, which included the largest aluminium plant in Russia, the Bratsk Aluminum Plant (BrAZ), the Bratsk timber industry complex, and other industrial enterprises.
“Bratsk essentially has two birthdays. Today, the territory where the village of Bratskoye was located is underwater. But the city got its name from it. The local population was also called ‘brothers,’ meaning ‘Buryat.’ Today, most Bratsk residents are descendants of those who came here for the all-Union construction of the Bratsk HPP,” said Tatiana Kolova, a librarian and tour guide from Bratsk.
Ust-Ilimsk—City and HPP
In the early 1960s, construction began on the Ust-Ilimsk HPP, a timber industry complex nearby, and the city of Ust-Ilimsk itself. “At the end of 1962, the first builders began arriving here. I saw footage of them walking through the snow up to their waists in fur coats, planning where the HPP would stand and where the city would be built,” said Larisa Galichenko, head of the Ust-Ilimsk Centralized Library System. “It was a real feat. Our Ust-Ilimsk—Bratsk road is still called the Road of Courage. The builders lived in tents: in summer, they were eaten by midges, and in winter, the water in their pots froze. They had to keep the stove burning all night to stay warm.”
“The station plays an important role in ensuring the stability of the Siberian energy system. It is one of the most economical HPPs with guaranteed high electricity generation,” said Andrey Karpachev, director of the Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Plant. “It is part of the large-scale technical modernisation program ‘New Energy.’ A comprehensive replacement of main and auxiliary equipment is underway. Technical reconstruction of 16 hydro units has already been completed.”
Long-term strategy
Hydropower made the USSR, and later the Russian Federation, one of the leading countries in terms of installed capacity for zero-emission power generation.
The industry continues to play a crucial role in the energy sector, although approaches to its development have significantly changed. During the difficult period of economic transformation in the 1990s, hydropower did not decline but retained its importance and then received a new impetus for development. Today, special attention is paid to the modernisation of existing capacities, increasing their efficiency and safety.
In 2020, Russia approved a low-carbon development strategy until 2050. It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions further and develop environmentally friendly energy, particularly hydropower. The strategy envisions the modernisation of existing HPPs and the construction of new ones, which “will enhance the country’s energy security and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change, ensuring sustainable and environmentally friendly energy supply for future generations.”
In 2021, China announced plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. An important part of this process is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by third-party organisations, such as suppliers of products to the country. One of the environmentally responsible partners is the aluminum giant RUSAL, which supplies China with environmentally friendly aluminum, all of whose energy needs are met by Siberian HPPs.
International certification
RUSAL became the first international company to receive Green Power Aluminium (GPA) certification. Specialists from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA), led by the head of the Center for Evaluation of Environmentally Friendly Products, Ma Congzhen, visited and certified two of the company’s largest aluminium plants—Krasnoyarsk and Bratsk, each with a capacity of over 1 million tons of aluminium per year, as well as the Irkutsk Aluminum Plant with a capacity of 425,000 tons per year. All three plants confirmed compliance with the regulatory standards established under the GPA initiative.
“Chinese experts have recognised that our metal meets the highest industry standards. Currently, the Taishet and Sayanogorsk aluminium plants of RUSAL are also undergoing certification. We plan to expand cooperation with Chinese partners by introducing innovative approaches and sustainable practices throughout the value chain,” said RUSAL CEO Evgeny Nikitin.
New energy in action
An example of modern modernisation is the “New Energy” program of the En+ Group. Under this program, a large-scale replacement of turbine runners and hydro units is being carried out at key HPPs: Bratsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Ust-Ilimsk. As a result of this work, electricity generation at these plants increased by 2.17 billion kWh in 2023, with a planned increase of 2.4 billion kWh starting in 2024. This will lead to a reduction in fuel combustion at coal-fired power plants in the region, thereby preventing over 2.5 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions annually while maintaining the same volume of water passing through the turbines.
En+ Group combines hydropower and metallurgy assets. The powerful Siberian HPPs of the company not only ensure the energy security of the region and reliable power supply to Siberian cities but also supply electricity to the metallurgical enterprises of RUSAL, which is part of the group. This integration of hydropower and metallurgical production allows for the production of low-carbon footprint products, which is especially important in modern conditions.
“We are pleased to see RUSAL among the producers of green aluminium and to confirm the company’s alignment with our values. As the world’s leading producer of the ‘winged metal,’ the company plays a crucial role in the development of the global environmentally friendly aluminium industry. After evaluation and certification, the company can offer Chinese consumers low-carbon aluminium with a clearly traceable carbon footprint. We hope that RUSAL will pay great attention to the Chinese market and expand cooperation with us and other industry companies. Together, we can promote green aluminium, encourage its widespread use, and leverage the advantages of the Chinese market, making a joint contribution to the green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and the high-quality development of China,” commented Ma Congzhen, head of the Center for Evaluation of Environmentally Friendly Products at CNIA.
The GPA certificate underscores the importance of using renewable energy sources (solar, hydro, wind, and geothermal) in the production of primary metal. Over 99% of the electricity used by RUSAL for aluminium production comes from these sources. The certification process itself takes place in two stages: a remote analysis based on the information provided, followed by an expert assessment directly at the production sites.
It turns out that the quality of HPPs, which their creators did not initially consider—their environmental friendliness—has now come to the forefront. Along with other renewable energy sources, they are designed to preserve the planet for the comfortable life of future generations.
Hydropower technologies created in the USSR initially pursued a practical goal—to save state funds and resources. However, over time, their significance has gone far beyond savings. Today, they have gained new relevance, becoming a tool for environmental sustainability and an important step in the fight to preserve the environment.
Their modern meaning lies in the ability to produce energy with minimal harm to nature, which addresses the global challenges of our time. Nevertheless, one cannot help but admire the scale and ambition with which these projects were created in the Soviet Union. They have become a vivid testament to the engineering genius and courage of people from a bygone era.
These technologies not only continue to work successfully but also inspire the development of new solutions in energy, confirming that the legacy of the past can be a powerful foundation for creating a sustainable future.