Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Plant is a concrete gravity dam on the Angara River and adjacent hydroelectric power station. It is the second level of the Angara River hydroelectric stations cascade in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. Located in Bratsk. From its full commissioning in 1967, the station was the world’s single biggest power producer until Canada's Churchill Falls was opened in 1971. Annually the station produces 22.6 TWh. Currently, the Bratsk Power Station operates 18 hydro-turbines, each with capacity of 250 MW, produced by the Leningrad Metal Works in the 1960's.

Construction of Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Plant started 1954, ended 1967.

Building consists of:

  • concrete wall of 924 m long and 124.5 m maximum height (stationary part 515 m long, waterdrop part 242 m long, dumb part 167 m).
  • by-wall house 516 m long
  • coastal concrete walls all 506 m long
  • right coast ground wall 2987 m long, left - 723 m long.

On the upper part of the wall there is the railway track of the Taishet-Lena line and an automobile road.

There are no navigation passes, because Angara River has no through ship routes. Nevertheless, construction project includes the possibility to build a ship elevator.

With the 4,500 MW of output and 22.6 TWh of annual output, it is Russia's second single producer of hydroelectricity.

The Turbine Hall contains 18 Francis hydroturbine units, 250 MW each, with a 106 m of operating head. 5,140 m long penstock forms the Bratsk Reservoir.

Output is distributed into five 500 kV power lines and twenty 220 kV lines.

The Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Plant was designed by the Moscow-based Hydroproject institute, and is operated by the joint-stock company Irkutskenergo, although all the buildings themselves belong to the Russia's federal government.

Reconstruction project includes increasing the output up to 5,000 MW. At present, Irkutskenergo together with JSC Silovii Mashini is modernizing the old turbines.

Bratsk Dam
Bratsk Dam
Geographical Data
Coordinates 56°17′10″N 101°47′10″E / 56.28611°N 101.78611°E / 56.28611; 101.78611Coordinates: 56°17′10″N 101°47′10″E / 56.28611°N 101.78611°E / 56.28611; 101.78611
Official name Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station
Impounds Angara River
Locale Bratsk, Russia
Length 924 m (3,031 ft)
Height 124.5 m (408 ft)
Construction began 1954
Opening date 1967
Dam owner(s) Irkutskenergo
Reservoir information
Creates Bratsk Reservoir
Capacity 169.27 km3 (41 cu mi)
Surface area 5,470 km2 (2,112 sq mi)
Power generation information
Turbines 18 × 250MW
Installed capacity 4,500 MW
Annual generation 22.6 TWh

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