Plavinas Hydro Power Plant
Encyclopedia
The Pļaviņas Hydro Power Plant is the biggest power plant in Latvia
and one of the biggest hydroelectric power plants in the European Union
. It is located in Aizkraukle
on the river Daugava. It has ten individual turbine
s with installed total capacity of 868.5 MW.
The construction aroused an unusual wave of protest in 1958. Most Latvians opposed the flooding of historical sites and a particularly scenic gorge with rare plants and natural features, such as the Staburags, a cliff comparable in cultural significance to the Lorelei in Germany. The construction of the dam was endorsed in 1959, however, after the purge of relatively liberal and nationally oriented leaders under Eduards Berklavs
and their replacement by Moscow-oriented, ideologically conservative cadres led by Arvīds Pelše
.
The first turbine of the plant was launched in December 1965. The plant was put into full operation in 1968 by launching the fourth turbine. In 1991–2001, additional six turbines were added to original four increasing the capacity to 868.5MW. The first reconstruction of the plant was carried out from 1999 to 2001, and the second one, to be completed in 2010, was launched in 2007.
The complex is operated by Latvenergo
.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and one of the biggest hydroelectric power plants in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. It is located in Aizkraukle
Aizkraukle
Aizkraukle is a town in Vidzeme region in Latvia, the administrative centre of Aizkraukle municipality on the right bank of the Daugava River.-History:Aizkraukle before the World War I was formerly known by its German name of Ascheraden...
on the river Daugava. It has ten individual turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s with installed total capacity of 868.5 MW.
The construction aroused an unusual wave of protest in 1958. Most Latvians opposed the flooding of historical sites and a particularly scenic gorge with rare plants and natural features, such as the Staburags, a cliff comparable in cultural significance to the Lorelei in Germany. The construction of the dam was endorsed in 1959, however, after the purge of relatively liberal and nationally oriented leaders under Eduards Berklavs
Eduards Berklavs
Eduards Berklavs was a Latvian politician.Eduards Berklavs was born in the Kuldīga District. During his youth, he was active in labour and communist organizations. In 1930s, he was arrested and served a prison sentence for his communist activities...
and their replacement by Moscow-oriented, ideologically conservative cadres led by Arvīds Pelše
Arvids Pelše
Arvīds Pelše ; , Iecava, Bauska District, Latvia – May 29, 1983, Moscow) was a politician and functionary in the Soviet Union, an historian in his profession- Career :...
.
The first turbine of the plant was launched in December 1965. The plant was put into full operation in 1968 by launching the fourth turbine. In 1991–2001, additional six turbines were added to original four increasing the capacity to 868.5MW. The first reconstruction of the plant was carried out from 1999 to 2001, and the second one, to be completed in 2010, was launched in 2007.
The complex is operated by Latvenergo
Latvenergo
Latvenergo is a state-owned energy company in Latvia. The company generates about 70% of the country's electricity.Latvenergo has three hydroelectric power plants, Pļaviņu HES, Rīgas HES and Ķeguma HES-2, with a total installed capacity of 1,463 MWe, two combined heat power plants with electricity...
.