Chirkeyskaya HPP is a hydroelectric power station on the Sulak River near the village of Dubki, in the Buinaksky district Dagestan. The most powerful hydroelectric power plant in the North Caucasus. It is part of the Sulak cascade of the hydroelectric power station, being its upper stage, regulating the entire cascade.
Having high maneuverability capabilities, it is the main regulating station in the united energy system of the South of Russia, operating in the peak part of the load schedule.
It also performs the functions of a kind of «ambulance» in the power system, allowing in the event of an emergency exit of 150-300 MW units at thermal power plants to quickly replace the depleted capacity. Due to the presence of a counterregulator, the Miatlinskaya HPP, the station has no restrictions on discharge modes, being able to quickly change its capacity (and, consequently, costs in the lower reaches).
By deeply regulating the flow, the Chirkeyskaya HPP increases production at the downstream stations of the cascade, as well as provides reliable water supply to settlements and irrigation.
The Chirkeyskaya HPP dam with a height of 232.5 m is the second tallest in Russia and the tallest arch dam in Russia. The capacity of the Chirkeyskaya HPP is 1,000 MW, the provided capacity is 950 MW, and the plant generates an average of 2,470 million kWh of environmentally friendly electricity per year.
A special feature of the station is the two-row arrangement of hydraulic units in the engine room, which significantly reduced its length and reduced construction costs. Such a constructive solution is unique for Russian hydroelectric power plants.
Sulak Canyon (dam crest) In terms of its depth in this place (1,920 m), the Colorado River Canyon (depth up to 1,800 m) in North America significantly surpasses its famous brother.
As part of the modernization of the RPA devices, the scheme for the output of hydrogenerator power #1, #2, #3, #4 At the Chirkeyskaya HPP, we completed work on retrofitting the 330 kV AUV cabinets with relay equipment.
* RusHydro is implementing a comprehensive modernization program for hydrogenating facilities, under which it is planned to replace half of the fleet of turbines, generators and transformers at RusHydro’s HPPs and PSPPs. Such a large-scale upgrade program for outdated and worn-out equipment for the domestic energy sector is unique and unprecedented. Its special feature is its focus not on the point–to-point replacement of individual components and assemblies, but on the comprehensive modernization of generating facilities as single technological complexes, with the replacement or reconstruction of main and auxiliary equipment, general plant systems, and hydraulic structures.
