Company history

Power installations on factories, 1880-1920

→ Power industry at the turn of the century

The beginning of the organized engineering activity considering the creation of electro supply systems in Russia refers to 1880 when following activities have been hold:

January, 30th, 1880 the first (organizational) meeting of VI (electro technical) department of Russian Technical Society (RTS) took place in Petersburg. Function of this society consisted in electro technical congresses and preparation and realization of exhibitions, technical rules and norms development, projects examinations realization and qualified electricians training courses organization.

March, 27th, 1880 the First All-Russia electro technical exhibition in Petersburg, organized by VI RTS department was opened.

December, 20th, 1885 the Third All-Russia electro technical exhibition in Petersburg, which demonstrated equipment and devices for power plants made in our country was opened. Loco-mobile, steam-engines, gas engines and hydro turbine were introduced as primary engines.

During this period alternating current CPP with circuit of 2400 V pressure begins to work in the country. First driven generator was launched. It is possible to allocate following events that characterize history of the power supply industry development and took place in other years of last century. From the steam turbine.

In 1893 introduction of a three-phase current electro supply systems has begun.

By the end of century remote from the center areas began to use electric energy.

Since 1910 cable networks of 6000 V pressure start to develop.

Since 1912 the centralized electro supply develops in new and more remote areas of Russia.

In May, 1913 the first regional peat-burning power station (Bogorodsky in 70 km away from Moscow) was launched. Capacity of the first and two following turbine units was 5000 kW each. By the end of 1913 capacity of all power stations in Russia equaled to 1 141 000 kW and the amount of power generated reached 2039 million kW/hour.

By 1914 electric systems with pressure of 15 - 30 kW developed around the number of large cities and in industrial regions.

The World War I slowed down, but didn't completely stop centralized electro supply development in Russia. By the end of pre-Revolutionary year 1916 the established capacity of all country's power stations reached 1 192 000 kW, and electric power generation equaled to 2575 million kW/hour.

During the year 1919 the agency of the nationalized power stations centralized control was created.

Power development in the regions of TGC-2 presence

In 1884 on Krikalov in Arkhangelsk in steam-power premise, in addition to the main steam-engine for a drive of wood-sawing frames, the second steam-engine, which put in process the direct current generator with the pressure of 110 W and capacity of 26 kW was established. The power stations placed in steam-power installations premises of timber mills, have received the name "steam dynamo".

In February, 1896 the project of Belgian citizen Edward Deni assuming the construction of the tram communication lines in the city was submitted to the Yaroslavl Duma. Public (deputies) of the Yaroslavl municipal Duma with the majority of voices have voted in favor of the tram. Before that decision was made city had hose-tram carriages which used horse draught.

1897 - the beginning of Kostroma power industry. The first small electro installations have appeared in Kostroma industrial specialized school in the name of F. V.Tchizhov, city theatre, and in the Noble Assembly. Capacity of the electro installations operating at fabrics and factories made up 2140 kW.

On December, 16th, 1900 solemn opening of the Yaroslavl tram took place. Few years later city had four operating tram lines. Tram running launch allowed to proceed with solution of another problem - the electric illumination organization.

In 1900 steam-engines and a dynamo-machine for the future station were delivered to Yaroslavl.

In 1900 the first city power station was installed in Yaroslavl and began to produce the current to provide city tram running and illumination of Yaroslavl streets.

1902 is considered to be the beginning of the Tver power industry when the first "Tver HPP" has begun to work (capacity of 920 kW) providing electro supply of the tram, water pipe and houses of the city nobility.

In 1903 first electric lanterns were lighted up on Yaroslavl streets. At that moment there were only 12 of then in the whole city. Three years later there were already 38 electric lanterns, by 1910 - 250. Vast majority of lanterns were placed in city's center, while suburbs were still illuminated with kerosene lanterns.

In May, 1904 the first power station with the capacity of 115 kW was launched in Vologda.

The Yaroslavl power station constantly increased capacities. Originally there were 6 coppers and 4 dynamo-machines of 200 horse powers each at station. In addition to that the diesel engine of 300 horse powers has been established in 1906. Besides the capacity gain it brought essential economy of fuel.

In 1908 in a German settlement in Arkhangelsk K.A.Neumann had constructed first public power station in the city (with the capacity of 100 kW and direct current pressure of 220 kW). In 1910 two more power stations the same as the first one have been launched: one of tradeswoman E.Plotnikova with capacity of 115 kW, build in a court yard of her private residence, situated on the corner of Pomorsky street and Quay and one of businessman Ya.Makarov, with the capacity of 200 kW. Operation of all three power stations had a seasonal nature, and in the luminous season from May till August they did not work. By winter of 1912 load on power stations reached its maximum, their working capacity was depleted. Sum of electric power production during lighting season of all 3 power stations made up 660 000 kW/hour. Cost of kilowatt-hour of the electric power was about 30 kopecks. Except for the mentioned three public power stations, in 1910 the power station with capacity of 42 kW, pressure 115 kW was launched at the rope factory, located directly in the city (the Novgorod avenue, 20). And in 1912 the direct current power station with the capacity of 226 kW, pressure of 115 kW in Solombal, at Ship-repair factory has given a current.

In 1910 in Novgorod there was only one station "Proletarian" with capacity of 90 kW, and by 1920 in the former Novgorod province there were 70 small power stations with general capacity of 6125 kW which were built before 1917. During pre-revolutionary time electro supply both in cities and in countryside was almost absent. Construction of large central stations, according to the plan of Russia electrification, didn't touch the Novgorod province a lot because of the reason that region industry has been poorly developed in comparison with areas of Petrograd and Moscow.

In 1912 in Kostroma by the arrival of emperor Nicolas II devoted to the 300 anniversary of Romanov dynasty celebration, the public power plant with the capacity of 405 kW has been constructed in the city under G.N.Botnikov's lead. On December, 7th, 1912 first 156 electro arc lanterns were lighted on Kostroma streets.

In 1912 in Tver CHPP (nowadays TPP-1) was launched on Morozov's cotton-mill.

In 1912 in Arkhangelsk region the power plant was constructed in Solovetsky monastery. The monastery was closely connected with Arkhangelsk through the farmstead. Fame of monastery's economic life reached beyond White Sea area.

Main building construction of the Arkhangelsk CHPP (ACHPP) has begun on autumn of 1913. Laying of the foundation for coppers, turbo generators and station building walls were made during winter time under a heated tent. The capital works had begun in January, 1914, and despite the First World War beginning, and almost did not stop even for one day until the complete building termination. By the launch of ACPP 600 tons of coal were delivered from England (by the way coal was very cheap because of the fact that English steamships on their way to Arkhangelsk to buy wood, were loaded with coil as ballast). First turbo generator of the central city power plant was solemnly launched on August, 26th, 1915.

In the beginning of 1914 in Yaroslavl two projects of new power plan, fully possessed by the city were designed. It was considered to establish diesel engine of 600 horse powers. In May, 1916 tariffs for the electric power in Yaroslavl were raised up to 40 kopecks per kW/hour.

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