Thermal power plants in Russia. Cherepetskaya GRES, Tom-Usinskaya and Surgutskaya GRES

Electric power, no doubt, is the basic industry of any country. It ensures the smooth operation of transport, industry, utilities and agriculture. It is also a component of the fuel and energy complex. And without a constantly evolving electric power industry, the stable operation of the entire economy is impossible. The Russian federation is provided with electricity by both nuclear and hydraulic power stations, but 75% of all electricity is produced by thermal power plants. The latter includes Cherepetskaya GRES, which is located in the city of Suvorov, Tula region. And she received her name from the Cherepet River, on which this power station is built.

When choosing a location for this power station, two criteria were used: the proximity of fuel sources and energy consumers. As a result, Cherepetskaya GRES was built next to the mines of the Moscow coal basin. And the consumers of its electricity became densely populated Moscow, Orel, Tula, Kaluga and Bryansk regions. The project of this power plant was approved back in 1948, and according to it it was to consist of two units with a capacity of 150 MW each. In this case, each of them was designed for high steam parameters: a temperature of 550 degrees and a pressure of 170 atmospheres. In connection with this, Cherepetskaya GRES became the first steam-turbine high-pressure power plant in Europe.

To build this station, machine builders had to solve a number of complex technical problems and create equipment unique in parameters and power: steam turbines, boilers, electric motors, transformers, feed pumps, generators, air high-voltage switches and high-voltage switchgears. They also had to create and master new types of heat-resistant steels, which were needed for the manufacture of parts and components of boiler units, turbines, valves and steam pipelines. After all the technical issues were solved, in 1950 Cherepetskaya GRES began to be built. And in 1953 the first block was launched, and in 1966 the last, the seventh block was put into operation.

And next to the city of Myski, in the Kemerovo region, is located Tom-Usinskaya GRES. This power plant operates four 200 MW turbines and five 100 MW turbines. The main fuel for this power plant is coal, which is mined in the Kuznetsk basin. It provides electricity to the city of Novokuznetsk, which houses such industry giants as KMK, Zapsib, an aluminum plant and a ferroalloy plant. The source of water supply for this power station is the nearby Tom River. And they began to build this thermal power plant in 1953. In 1958, launched its first unit, and in 1965 surrendered the last. And now this station is part of the unified energy system of Siberia.

And the most powerful thermal power plant in Russia is located in the Tyumen region. This is Surgutskaya GRES-2. Its construction was due to the discovery of a colossal oil and gas field in those parts. In connection with this, the extraction of these minerals has sharply increased . At the same time, the load on the power grid, with which the first state district power station could no longer cope, also increased. Therefore, it was decided to build a super-power thermal power plant, which began in 1981. It was truly a building of the century. Equipment for this station was produced at more than 50 plants in the USSR. And the builders worked at a shock pace and on February 23, 1985 they put into operation the first power unit.