Saratov Hydroelectric Station

Saratov Hydroelectric Station
The Balakovo Dam
Location of Saratov Hydroelectric Station in Russia
Official name	Саратовская ГЭС
Location	Balakovo, Russia
Coordinates	52°03′11″N 47°45′18″E / 52.05306°N 47.75500°E / 52.05306; 47.75500Coordinates: 52°03′11″N 47°45′18″E / 52.05306°N 47.75500°E / 52.05306; 47.75500
Construction began	1956
Opening date	November 1971
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Volga River
Height	40 m (131 ft)
Length	1,260 m (4,134 ft)
Reservoir
Creates	Saratov Reservoir
Surface area	1,831 km² (707 sq mi)
Power station
Turbines	21 × 60 MW 02 × 45 MW 01 × 10 MW
Installed capacity	1,360 MW
Annual generation	5,352 GWh

The Saratov Hydroelectric Station or the Saratov GES (Russian: Саратовская ГЭС) also known as the Lenin Komsomol Saratov Hydroelectric Power Station (Russian: Саратовская ГЭС имени Ленинского Комсомола) is a hydroelectric power plant on the River Volga that is located in Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, 130 km northeast from the city of Saratov, Russia.

History

The plant was built as part of the massive post-war industrialisation plan The great construction sites of communism, which was to form a Volga-Kama Cascade of hydroelectric dams. Construction was authorised by an order from the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union on June 1, 1956.

Although the initial design had to be altered in interests of practical reasons, the delay was long enough to allow the Kuybyshev GES to come online and provide direct power to the new building site. Many of the workers moved to the new city of Balakovo and their experience proved to be invaluable. The construction was declared to be all-union and in particular took a massive input from the nation's youth. Because of their large input the station was later named after the Communist Youth League, the Komsomol. By autumn 1967 the dam was completed and the river was blocked and in December of that year the first four powerhouses became operational. Overall the station was declared to be completed in November 1971.

Technical details

Today the station consists of a 1,260 metre long, 40 metre high artificial dam flanked by landfilled earth dam which totals 14 kilometres in length, forming the Saratov Reservoir.

The station is rated at 1,360 MW, producing an annual 5.352 billion KWh of energy. There are a total of 24 powerhouses, 21 rotor-blade at 60 MW and two horizontal turbines at 45 MW. In addition there is fishery path that generates a further 10 MW.

Economic value

Today the station is valuable asset to the Central region and the middle Volga. It powers several nearby industries and irrigates fertile land adjacent to it. Most of the city of Saratov is powered by the station; the rest of the energy is absorbed into the Russian national grid.

Powerlines

The two 500 kV Powerlines from Saratov Hydroelectric Station to Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant crosses Volga River in a 1.6 kilometres long span. The tower at Saratov Hydrolectric Station is 159 metres, that at the East shore of Volga River 197 metres tall. It is the tallest electricity pylon in Russia Source.

External links

GidroOGK

Volga River

Tributaries	Selizharovka Vazuza Tvertsa Shosha Dubna Medveditsa Nerl Kashinka Sit Mologa Suda Sheksna Sogozha Kotorosl Kostroma Nyomda Unzha Uzola Oka Kudma Kerzhenets Sura Vetluga Rutka Tsivil Great Kokshaga Little Kokshaga Anish Ilet Sviyaga Sumka Kazanka Kama Aktay Bezdna Cheremshan Sok Samara Chapayevka Little Irgiz Irgiz Tereshka Yeruslan Akhtuba (distributary)

Reservoirs	Lake Volgo Ivankovo Uglich Rybinsk Gorky Cheboksary Kuybyshev Saratov Volgograd

Hydroelectric stations	Ivankovo Uglich Rybinsk Nizhny Novgorod Cheboksary Zhiguli Saratov Volga

Canals	Moscow Canal Volga–Baltic Waterway Volga–Don Canal

Cities	Astrakhan Volgograd Saratov Samara Kazan Ulyanovsk Nizhny Novgorod Yaroslavl Tver

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