RusHydro opens its hydroelectric power plants for tourists

RusHydro opened its first hydroelectric power plant for organized tourist groups. This is one of the most beautiful hydroelectric power plants in our country - Chirkeyskaya HPP in the Republic of Dagestan.

Today, the station hosted the opening ceremony of the first tourist route to the hydroelectric power station in Russia. It was attended by the Chairman of the Management Board - General Director of RusHydro Viktor Khmarin, Acting Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Dagestan Batyr Emeev, Director of Tourism Development, Environment and Climate Development Initiatives of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives Olga Zakharova, representatives of the tourism industry, the media.

“This is a significant event for RusHydro and for all residents of Russia who actively travel within the country,” Viktor Khmarin said during the ceremony. - By opening our hydroelectric power plants for tourists, we contribute to the implementation of the state Strategy for the development of tourism in the Russian Federation until 2035 and to the implementation of the national project "Tourism and the hospitality industry."

A visit to the hydroelectric power station will allow people to learn more about the work of the leading Russian producers of "green" electricity, to make sure of their safety and environmental friendliness. I am sincerely glad that people who dream of visiting the hydroelectric power plant will be able to share with RusHydro employees the pride in the genius of engineering, the work of thousands of energy builders and the industrial power of the country. "

The first excursion was organized for the students of the republic. 20 high school and university students visited the turbine hall of the largest station in the region with a capacity of 1,000 MW, visited the crest of the highest - 232.5 meters - in Russia arched dam, erected in a deep mountain gorge. Every third kilowatt of electricity consumed in the Republic of Dagestan is generated here. When the plant is operating at full capacity, 100 million mobile phones can be charged at the same time or 20 million televisions can be turned on.

Students get acquainted with the history of the construction of a unique hydroelectric power station. The first field surveys and design developments were made back in 1928-1930, the project for the construction of the dam was developed by the Gidroproekt Institute in 1962, and the construction of the station was completely finished in 1981. 1.5 million cubic meters of concrete were laid in the station's structures. This amount would be enough for the construction of a road from Moscow to Sochi with a length of more than 1,300 km.

“Today is a grandiose, significant event for the development of industrial tourism in the Russian Federation. Not just an incredibly beautiful, educational route to the most powerful in the North Caucasus Chirkeyskaya HPP has been opened, it is the beginning of the formation of a new philosophy of industry, a fundamentally new approach based on openness, trust, dialogue, ”Olga Zakharova noted during the ceremony.

The opening of hydroelectric power plants for excursions was preceded by an all-Russian opinion poll by VTsIOM, which showed that 78% of Russians would like to visit the hydroelectric power plant. This became the impetus for the implementation of an industrial tourism project in RusHydro, within the framework of which it will be possible to visit the most beautiful and powerful stations of the energy holding. Already in September of this year, tourist groups will begin visiting the largest in Russia Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station in Siberia. In total, more than 15 RusHydro power facilities throughout Russia are preparing to receive tourists: the most powerful and newest hydroelectric power plants and the Vostochnaya TPP, which is located within the city of Vladivostok.

The development of industrial tourism by RusHydro will be accompanied by the development of tourism infrastructure. Modern tourist information centers will be built near the power facilities open to tourists for a comfortable reception of travelers. They will provide information about the power facility and the RusHydro company in a multimedia format, organize storage spaces for tourists' belongings and equipment, conduct briefings, create cafes and buy souvenirs.

“Excursions to the Chirkeyskaya HPP are an answer to the request of the tourism business, the high interest of citizens,” said Batyr Emeev, Acting Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Dagestan. - It is especially significant that the first excursions to the RusHydro hydroelectric power station begin in a region with a high dynamic of growth in the tourist flow. Now, among the sights of Dagestan, must-see, there is a new unique object."

As part of the ceremony, RusHydro and the leading travel companies of Russia and Dagestan signed agreements on interaction and cooperation when conducting excursions on the territory of the Chirkeyskaya HPP. It will be possible to visit the station in organized tourist groups as part of tours around Dagestan. You can order an excursion to the Chirkeyskaya HPP no later than two weeks before the desired date in the following travel companies: Travel Shop, Ethnotravel, Jaga and Turuniversal.

RusHydro is the leader in green energy in Russia. The Group includes 100 renewable energy facilities: 68 HPPs and PSPPs, three GeoPPs, 23 solar and six wind power plants. RusHydro is steadily increasing the installed capacity of renewable energy generation. Over the past five years, 1.1 GW of hydroelectric power plants, solar power plants and wind farms have been commissioned. The operation of RusHydro's hydroelectric power plants only last year made it possible to avoid the emission into the atmosphere of 63 million tons of CO2-equivalent released during the combustion of fossil fuels.

Chirkeyskaya HPP is the most powerful hydroelectric power plant in the North Caucasus, with an installed capacity of 1,000 MW. The hydroelectric power station's reservoir is the largest in Dagestan and in the North Caucasus generally - its area is 42 square kilometers. The Chirkeyskaya HPP has the highest arched dam in Russia, at the same time it is the second highest dam in our country after the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. Its height is 232.5 meters.