The Russian National Library hosted a presentation of the book "Ahead of Time: The History of the Northwest Energy Industry in Pictures"

October 01, 2015, the Russian National Library hosted a presentation of the book "Ahead of Time: The History of the Northwest Energy Industry in Pictures", dedicated to the history of the regional electrification.

The book was published with the support of JSC TGC-1, the leading producer of heat and electricity in the North-West, on the 10th anniversary of the Company. JSC TGC-1 was established in 2005 during the reform of the Russian electricity sector as combination of generating assets of St. Petersburg, the Republic of Karelia, Murmansk and Leningrad Oblasts. Today, the Company comprises 54 power plants — the most modern HPPs and CHPPs, as well as the firsts of Russian energy industry built in the late 19th century.

‘The book is dedicated to the history and development of the Russian energy industry. It presents unique photographs, interesting facts about how the country's power grid was created and built, taking into account that St. Petersburg was widely regarded as power heart of the grid for a long time, - Natalia Bystrova, Director of the Museum of History of the Northwest Energy said. – ‘In this book, materials from the archives of the Museum of History of the Northwest Energy were first published, as well as from national regional museums of Karelia, Murmansk and Leningrad Oblasts, and from personal archives of Russian energy workers.’

The first instance of the photo chronicle of the energy industry was officially handed over to the National Library of Russia.

‘We are very pleased that today the library was replenished with this unique and important exhibit. Not only as custodians of history, but also as ordinary people we understand the importance of electricity for human lives, and realise the role of the energy development in the history of the entire country. And we will treasure the chronicle and show it to the visitors,' - Anton Likhomanov, General Director of the National Library said. – ‘We invite all readers to become acquainted with the photo exhibition that illustrates the emergence of energy industry and the development of engineering and technical creativity.’

The book contains more than 300 unique pictures — archival photographs, posters, drawings, with hundreds of interesting facts. Each of the chapters is an illustration of decades of the regions of North-West that were meaningful for the entire country.

The book "Ahead of Time: The History of the Northwest Energy Industry in Pictures" is available electronically at the website of JSC TGC-1.