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It has been 60 years since the formation of the regional energy department “Buryatenergo”, since 1993 the open joint-stock company “Buryatenergo”, now a branch of OJSC IDGC of Siberia. In 1963, with a significant shortage of electricity in the republic, it was planned to put into operation a 25 MW turbogenerator and a 220 t/hour steam boiler. At the end of the year, the turbine was launched at reduced steam parameters, its power was limited to 18 MW. On New Year’s Eve, steam boiler No. 6 was fired up and the turbine was switched to nominal steam parameters.

In Moscow, in the Ministry of Energy, until recently they did not believe that the “Buryats” — that’s what they affectionately called us there — would be able to launch the planned units of the high-pressure part at the Ulan-Ude Thermal Power Plant. And they took it and launched it! It was an amazing time! The following year, a 100 MW turbogenerator was launched.

At that time it was the most powerful unit in Transbaikalia. The turbogenerator was installed in record time — in just 64 working days. The year 1965 arrived. One of the very important events this year is the completion of the construction of the 220 kV transit power line Irkutsk — Ulan-Ude, which connected the Buryat energy system with the United Energy System of Siberia.

The electric route stretches for more than 400 kilometers. In the sixties, hundreds of kilometers of high-voltage power lines were built, both distribution and system-forming. The milestone of 1,000 kilometers per year of power transmission lines of all voltages was overcome. One remarkable fact.

Over these several decades, there is not a single non-electrified settlement left in the republic. In 1975, Ulan-Ude CHPP-1 generated 1,000,000,000 kW/h of electricity for the first time in its existence. For the first time, Energy Worker’s Day was officially celebrated in 1966. By this time, the energy system provided 82% of the total electricity needs of the Republic of Belarus.

What do you remember about the first Energy Engineer Day? It was memorable because we celebrated it in the assembly hall of our own building, into which we had recently moved. Many things seemed different to us then than they do today. People looked boldly into tomorrow.

And it was visible in their faces and eyes. In the sixties, preparations began for the construction of the Gusinoozerskaya State District Power Plant. At the end of 1968, on the deserted shore of Gusinoe Lake, the first peg was driven into the industrial site of the power plant. The construction was declared an All-Union Shock Komsomol.

People from different cities of the country flocked here. There were experienced specialists with many construction projects behind them, and young ones, many with Komsomol vouchers. At the time of the maximum expansion of work, more than 5,000 people were working at the construction site. In December 1976, the first power unit with a capacity of 210 MW was put into operation.

We understood this as a confident step into big energy. At the same time, the 220 kV overhead line Gusinoozerskaya State District Power Plant — Selenduma — Darkhan was turned on, which made it possible to eliminate the electricity shortage in brotherly Mongolia and ensure the commissioning of the joint Russian-Mongolian mining and processing plant Erdenet. The power line was named “Power Line of Friendship”. The life of energy workers, even in the best of times, was not easy, given the main feature of the industry — to move forward at a faster pace, that is, to be pioneers.

And the first is always more difficult. Therefore, projects for the near future cannot be called simple: the continuation of the construction of CHPP-2 and the technical re-equipment of CHPP-1, the construction of a 500 kV overhead line Nizhneangarsk — Vitim, since the existing 220 kV overhead line has completely exhausted its capabilities today. It is planned in the long term to build a large hydroelectric complex on the Vitim River. The construction of small hydroelectric power stations in the Kurumkansky, Barguzinsky and Okinsky districts is also promising.

JSC Buryatenergo is working on projects to attract foreign and domestic investors for the construction of major energy facilities. Now, dear power engineers — those who stand behind the consoles of operating units, and those who have completed their long-term shifts, I congratulate you on Power Engineer’s Day! I wish everyone health and prosperity, and consumers more light and warmth!