Shulbinskaya HPP is one of the three power plants of the Irtysh cascade and has the largest capacity among hydroelectric power plants in Kazakhstan. It is located on the Irtysh River, near the village of Shulbinsk, in the East Kazakhstan region of the republic. The main task of the station is to smooth and cover peak loads in the energy system of Kazakhstan.
Construction stages
Despite the fact that in 2016 the Shulbinskaya HPP celebrated its fortieth birthday, its construction is still not considered completed. The construction of the station began in 1976, the 1st hydraulic unit was launched on December 23, 1987. The first stage of the Shulbinskaya HPP reached its design capacity on December 19, 1994, when the last, 6th hydroelectric unit of the station was launched.
In 1997, the rights to operate the power plant were transferred to a concession for 20 years by the American company AES, which undertook to complete a number of plant facilities, including a shipping lock. The company was unable to ensure the fulfillment of all the obligations assumed. In 2003, the lock returned to state ownership and was completed using the budgetary funds of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The grand opening of the lock took place on October 12, 2004, the final commissioningwas appointed for the spring of 2005.
The deadlines for the complete completion of the construction of the Shulba hydroelectric power plant have not yet been announced, although the completion and commissioning of the second stage would increase the usable volume and level of the reservoir, increase the station's capacity and energy production.
Specifications
Photos of the Shulbinskaya hydroelectric power station allow you to get an idea of the scale of the station's hydroelectric complex. It includes a right-bank gravel-sand dam with a height difference of 28 meters, a left-bank dam with a length of 440 meters and a single-chamber ship lock with supply channels. The station's hydraulic structures are able to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake.
Deep spillways are combined with the station building. Six hydroelectric units with a total capacity of 702 MW are located here. Energy is generated by generators with a capacity of 117 MW each, produced in St. Petersburg by the Electrosila plant. They are set in motion by rotary-blade turbines with an impeller diameter of 8.5 meters, assembled by Kharkov "Turboatom". The resulting electricity is supplied to an open switchgear (OSG) with a voltage of 220 kilovolts.
Repair and upgrade of the station
Without rest, the Shulbinskaya HPP has been generating more than 1.65 billion kWh of electricity annually for many years. Despite her relative youth, she got a break - in 2000, the station began a cycle of overhauls.
To avoid possible accidents was carried outrepair of four hydraulic units, which included their complete disassembly, removal of impellers and replacement of protective generator control systems. Electrical and mechanical equipment, as well as excitation systems, were upgraded at all six units of the station.
The open switchgear of the station did not escape the comprehensive modernization. For the first time in Kazakhstan, five combined electrogas disconnectors of transformer cells and a sectional switch have been installed here.
Frequent rumors about a possible dam break and flooding of neighboring settlements have become one of the reasons for the repair of potentially dangerous hydraulic structures. In particular, restoration and anti-corrosion work was carried out on the equipment of the station's upstream and downstream pools and the dam was strengthened.
Shulba reservoir
The dam of the Shulbinskaya hydroelectric power station forms a channel reservoir of seasonal regulation with a useful volume of 1.8 cubic meters. kilometers. The filling of the reservoir began in 1982. Today, the area of the reservoir is 255 square meters. kilometers, length - about 53 kilometers, width - about 6 kilometers. In the valleys of the Osikha, Shulbinka and Kyzyl-Su rivers, large bays up to 11 kilometers long and up to 1.5 kilometers wide have formed.
The basin of the reservoir is located at an altitude of 250 meters above sea level. It is relatively shallow - the maximum depth is 35 meters, the average is 8 meters. Along the reservoir, closer to the left bank, a ship's passage was laid with a depth of 2 to 7 meters. When fillingreservoirs, the Irtysh valley between the mouths of the Uba and Shulba rivers was partially flooded, willow groves, forest islands, meadows and agricultural lands went under water.
The reservoir of the Shulbinskaya hydroelectric power station, recreation centers and beaches on its banks attract tourists from all over Kazakhstan and from other neighboring countries. Fish-rich pond attracts fishing enthusiasts, opportunities for windsurfing and kiting provide space for fans of outdoor activities and sports.
