Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War

Introduction. The article deals with the work of the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants during the Great Patriotic War, when they were almost the only sources of power supply to Moscow and the Moscow region. In the historiography, this issue was touched upon, but in general, the publicatio...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Evgeny Burdin
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Volgograd State University 2025-05-01
Series:Вестник Волгоградского государственного университета. Серия 4. История, регионоведение, международные отношения
Online Access:https://hfrir.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/3636
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849390220231835648
author Evgeny Burdin
author_facet Evgeny Burdin
author_sort Evgeny Burdin
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. The article deals with the work of the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants during the Great Patriotic War, when they were almost the only sources of power supply to Moscow and the Moscow region. In the historiography, this issue was touched upon, but in general, the publications are characterized by a fragmentary and descriptive nature. Methods and materials. The source base of the research is the published and unpublished normative-legal acts, scientific and technical documentation, reference and statistical data, memoir literature, and oral recollections. The work used historical-genetic, historical-comparative, and problem-chronological methods, as well as methods of grouping statistical data and interviewing. Analysis. It is shown that the USSR leadership gave the hydroelectric power plants on the Volga River an important defense significance, first of all, as uninterrupted sources of electricity. The statistical data on hydroelectric power generation by Ivankovskaya, Uglichskaya, and Rybinskaya HPPs in 1941–1945 are analyzed, taking into account the general indicators of electricity generation in the USSR. In 1941–1942, the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants were located in the front line zone and operated under the most difficult conditions. The threat of seizure of the Ivankovsky hydroelectric power plant was especially acute. The Germans tried to cross the Ivankovskoye reservoir, but the hydraulic engineers released the water, and the enemy’s offensive was thwarted. An effective system of protection and camouflage prevented the enemy from stopping the hydroelectric power plants. Results. It is concluded that the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants in 1941–1945 were primarily reliable sources of electricity for the population and military enterprises of Moscow and the Moscow region. In addition, they were important elements of defense lines during the Battle of Moscow. Thus, the Upper Volga hydroelectric plants became an important factor in the USSR’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
format Article
id doaj-art-851d6916d29446c08dfc7eb7a2365d21
institution Kabale University
issn 1998-9938
2312-8704
language Russian
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Volgograd State University
record_format Article
series Вестник Волгоградского государственного университета. Серия 4. История, регионоведение, международные отношения
spelling doaj-art-851d6916d29446c08dfc7eb7a2365d212025-08-20T03:41:44ZrusVolgograd State UniversityВестник Волгоградского государственного университета. Серия 4. История, регионоведение, международные отношения1998-99382312-87042025-05-01302596910.15688/jvolsu4.2025.2.5Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic WarEvgeny Burdin0http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5727-7321Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University Introduction. The article deals with the work of the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants during the Great Patriotic War, when they were almost the only sources of power supply to Moscow and the Moscow region. In the historiography, this issue was touched upon, but in general, the publications are characterized by a fragmentary and descriptive nature. Methods and materials. The source base of the research is the published and unpublished normative-legal acts, scientific and technical documentation, reference and statistical data, memoir literature, and oral recollections. The work used historical-genetic, historical-comparative, and problem-chronological methods, as well as methods of grouping statistical data and interviewing. Analysis. It is shown that the USSR leadership gave the hydroelectric power plants on the Volga River an important defense significance, first of all, as uninterrupted sources of electricity. The statistical data on hydroelectric power generation by Ivankovskaya, Uglichskaya, and Rybinskaya HPPs in 1941–1945 are analyzed, taking into account the general indicators of electricity generation in the USSR. In 1941–1942, the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants were located in the front line zone and operated under the most difficult conditions. The threat of seizure of the Ivankovsky hydroelectric power plant was especially acute. The Germans tried to cross the Ivankovskoye reservoir, but the hydraulic engineers released the water, and the enemy’s offensive was thwarted. An effective system of protection and camouflage prevented the enemy from stopping the hydroelectric power plants. Results. It is concluded that the Upper Volga hydroelectric power plants in 1941–1945 were primarily reliable sources of electricity for the population and military enterprises of Moscow and the Moscow region. In addition, they were important elements of defense lines during the Battle of Moscow. Thus, the Upper Volga hydroelectric plants became an important factor in the USSR’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.https://hfrir.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/3636
spellingShingle Evgeny Burdin
Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War
Вестник Волгоградского государственного университета. Серия 4. История, регионоведение, международные отношения
title Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War
title_full Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War
title_fullStr Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War
title_full_unstemmed Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War
title_short Military-Technical and Economic Importance of the Upper Volga Hydroelectric Power Plants During the Great Patriotic War
title_sort military technical and economic importance of the upper volga hydroelectric power plants during the great patriotic war
url https://hfrir.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/3636
work_keys_str_mv AT evgenyburdin militarytechnicalandeconomicimportanceoftheuppervolgahydroelectricpowerplantsduringthegreatpatrioticwar