Volkhov hydroelectric station on the river Volkhov in the town of Volkhov, Leningrad region. This is one of the oldest hydropower plants in Russia. Is a historical monument of science and technology.

Power plant construction was started in 1915. and was completed in 1927. Volkhov hydroelectric plant is a run – of low-pressure power plant. The facilities of the power plant includes a concrete spillway dam, having a length of 212 m; power house; rybohoda construction; floodgate; single chamber single navigation lock; ladosadaa wall length of 256 m. The power station is 86 MW (initially was 58 MW) average annual generation is 347 million. WTC. In the building of the power plant are 10 radial-axial hydraulic units that operate at rated power at 11 m. Most of the equipment hydroelectric power station has been operating for over 80 years and needs to be replaced. The discharge facilities of the station form Volkhov reservoir with an area of 2, 02 kV.km, the useful capacity of 24, 36 million. cubic meter. When the reservoir device 10 thousand. hectares of agricultural land were flooded. The Volkhov hydroelectric project was developed by the Institute leninhydroproject.

HPP operates in the peak of the load curve of the energy system of the North-West. Hydro supplies electricity to Volkhov aluminum plant. Volkhov reservoir, inundating the Volkhov rapids, provided the navigability of the river Volkhov.

Volkhov hydroelectric station was of great importance in the industrial development of the country in 20-30-ies of the 20 century, as well as in the supply of electricity. The construction of the dam power plant blocked the path of the Volkhov whitefish spawning. Today the population of whitefish is supported by artificial breeding on the Volkhov fish hatchery.

In 1902, engineer G. O. Graftio prepared a first draft of the use of the Volkhov river to generate electrical energy. In 1914 his project he modernized turbine under more power. But the Imperial government special interest to the project are not shown. After the revolution, G. O. Graftio interested in their project of V. I. Lenin. In the same year work began on the construction of the power plant, but they were soon suspended due to the severe situation in the country, which was in a state of Civil war.

In 1921, the construction of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station was included in the electrification plan, and the construction of the station was resumed. Volkhov hydroelectric power station was a priority task for the government, since the construction of the HPP was fundamentally solve the fuel crisis and to provide electricity Petrograd and its industry.

On July 28, 1926 on the Volkhov was opened through navigation through the gateway HPP. In 1926, with the participation of government representatives has passed solemn opening of HPP on the river were running three Swedish hydro. The power plants of Leningrad was launched the night of 5 December. Other units – in 1927, the Original power station was 57 MW. Over time it grew, to the beginning of the war she had reached 66 MW.

At the approach to the Volkhov German troops in late 1941 the equipment with the plant dismantled and removed. Some of the equipment was re-installed after the stabilization of the front in the autumn of 1942, At the bottom of lake Ladoga was the cable that was supplying Leningrad electricity. In October 1944, were commissioned eight major hydroelectric units with a total capacity of 64 MW. Full restoration of the station was completed in 1945.

In the period from 1993 to 1996, three power units were replaced with more powerful (12 MW). It was planned to replace the units, but because of lack of funds re-equipment of the station was delayed. First replacement units planned for 2007-2010, but this schedule was not realized.

January 13, 2009 was the commissioning of new hydroelectric unit No. 1. The planned capacity of the plant after the replacement of all units must be equal to 98 MW.

The history of the construction of the Volkhov hydroelectric power station reflected in the biographical feature film Engineer Graftio" Borg G. Kazan in 1974