Каскаду Кемских ГЭС – 50 лет
On March 19, the Kem HPPs Cascade of PJSC TGC-1 Karelskiy branch, the most powerful cascade of hydroelectric power plants in the region, is celebrating its 50-year anniversary.
HPP builders arrived to Kem in 1962. In record time they had to perform a great volume of works. Over half a million cubic meters of ground and almost the same amount of massive rock were removed, then earth and overflow dams, embankment dam, inlet and outlet channel were built. Putkinskaya HPP was put in commercial operation in spring of 1967.
From the date of foundation of Putkinskaya HPP the history of the Kem HPPs Cascade has started. The construction of HPP brought special benefit to social development of the region. 20 residential houses, four preschool facilities and a clinic were built for the employees of the plant in Kem. New village for hydraulic power specialists - Krivoy Porog - has been established.
The second plant built was Poduzhemskaya HPP, launched in 1971. Yushkozerskaya and Krivoporozhskaya HPPs were commissioned in 1980 and 1990 respectively. At the present moment the total installed capacity of the cascade amounts to 330 MW.
The Kem Cascade operates reliably and uninterruptedly. Power specialists perform repairs of hydroelectric units and upgrade cascade equipment in a consistent manner, in 2015–2017 major repairs of hydroelectric units of Putkinskaya and Podezhumskaya HPPs were completed.