A monument to the builders of the hydro power plant was opened at TGC-1's Kondopozhskaya HPP on the day of its 90th anniversary

On 29 January, TGC-1's Kondopozhskaya HPP of the the Suna HPPs Cascade — a Russia's oldest hydroelectric power plant and the firstborn of Karelian electrification — celebrated its 90th anniversary.

In 1929, the launch of the plant was a grand event comparable to an economic miracle: Thanks to the new power Kondopoga turned into the centre of the wood and paper industry of the young Republic of Karelia. In 2019, 90 years later, the monument was opened to honour the builders. Thus, Karelian energy sector commemorated the work of people who heroically worked in difficult conditions.

"Today we gathered on the bank of the Suna River at Kondopozhskaya HPP, in the birthplace of Karelian energy industry, to remember the deed of the builders who almost manually extracted 626 thousand cubic meters of soil, including 50 thousand cubic meters of rock. The wheelbarrow and shovel were the main tools, and harsh natural conditions were the main enemy," said Igor Kartsev, Director of the Karelsky Branch of TGC-1. "Our monument symbolises a persistent and heavy battle of professionals, the life in the Karelian northern region depends on the reliability and coherence of their work.

Festive events were held in Kondopoga with the participation of employees of TGC-1's Karelsky branch and veterans of the industry. A page dedicated to the history and modernity of Kondopozhskaya HPP has been opened on the TGC-1 website.

Reference

Kondopozhskaya HPP, part of the Suna HPPs Cascade, is included in the Karelsky branch of TGC-1, a leading producer of electricity and heat in the North-West region. The hydroelectric power plant, the firstborn of the electrification of Karelia, was built according to the GOELRO plan for the national economic recovery and development. The resolution on construction of the central power plant was signed on 26 April 1921 by the Soviet People's Commissar of the RSFSR under the sedation of Vladimir Lenin.

The launch of the first HPP in the Republic of Karelia was preceded by continuous work, construction of hydraulic structures, and installation of equipment.

The construction lasted from 1923 to 1951 in two stages: The second stage began in 1937. With the beginning of military operations, the main hydromechanical and electrical equipment was dismantled and taken out to other hydro power plants of the USSR. During the Great Patriotic War, the facilities of Kondopozhskaya HPP were seriously damaged. The restoration of the plant began in June 1944. In 1947, units No. 1 and 2 were launched, and unit No. 3 was put into operation in March 1951.

Currently, Kondopozhskaya HPP is a modern and meeting the needs of time hydroelectric power plant. Its capacity is 25.6 MW with an average annual output of 130 million kWh. HPP's electric power generation automation equipment has high technical performance, a high energy efficiency, environmental friendliness, and safety, as well as the opportunity to monitor the condition of the equipment.