The message on the topic of electricity. Energy industry. Energy from fuel technology

The leading position of the thermal power industry is a historically formed and economically justified pattern of the development of the Russian energy industry.

Thermal power plants (TPP) operating in Russia can be classified according to the following criteria:

§ by sources of energy used - fossil fuel, geothermal energy, solar energy;

§ by type of energy output - condensing, heating;

§ on the use of the installed electric capacity and the participation of TPPs in covering the electric load schedule - basic (at least 5000 hours of using the installed electric capacity per year), half-peak or maneuverable (respectively 3000 and 4000 hours per year), peak (less than 1500-2000 h per year).

In turn, fossil fuel-fired thermal power plants differ in terms of technology:

§ steam turbine (with steam power plants on all types of fossil fuels: coal, fuel oil, gas, peat, oil shale, firewood and wood waste, products of energy processing of fuel, etc.);

§ diesel;

§ gas turbine;

§ steam and gas.

The most developed and widespread in Russia are thermal power plants for general use operating on fossil fuels (gas, coal), mainly steam turbines.

The largest TPP on the territory of Russia is the largest on the Eurasian continent, Surgutskaya GRES-2 (5600 MW), which runs on natural gas (GRES is an abbreviation that has survived from Soviet times, meaning the state regional power plant). Of the coal-fired power plants, the largest installed capacity is at Reftinskaya GRES (3800 MW). The largest Russian TPPs also include Surgutskaya GRES-1 and Kostromskaya GRES, each with a capacity of over 3 thousand MW.

In the process of the industry reform, the largest thermal power plants in Russia were merged into wholesale generating companies (WGCs) and territorial generating companies (TGKs).

At the moment, the main task of the development of thermal generation is to ensure the technical re-equipment and reconstruction of existing power plants, as well as the commissioning of new generating capacities using advanced technologies in the production of electricity.

Hydropower

Hydropower provides system services (frequency, power) and is a key element in ensuring the system reliability of the Unified Energy System of the country, having more than 90% of the regulating capacity reserve. Of all the existing types of power plants, it is hydroelectric power plants that are the most maneuverable and, if necessary, are able to quickly significantly increase the volume of generation, covering peak loads.

Russia has a large hydropower potential, which implies significant opportunities for the development of domestic hydropower. About 9% of the world's water resources are concentrated in Russia. In terms of the availability of hydropower resources, Russia ranks second in the world, ahead of the United States, Brazil, and Canada. At present, the total theoretical hydropower potential of Russia is determined at 2,900 billion kWh of annual electricity generation, or 170 thousand kWh per 1 sq. km of territory. However, only 20% of this potential has now been exploited. One of the obstacles to the development of hydropower is the remoteness of the main part of the potential, concentrated in central and eastern Siberia and the Far East, from the main consumers of electricity.

Figure 1 Electricity production by hydroelectric power plants in Russia (in billion kWh) and the capacity of hydroelectric power plants in Russia (in GW) in 1991-2010

Electricity generation by Russian HPPs provides an annual savings of 50 million tons of standard fuel, the potential for savings is 250 million tons; allows to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by up to 60 million tons per year, which provides Russia with an almost unlimited potential for increasing energy capacity in the face of strict requirements for limiting greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to its direct purpose - the production of electricity using renewable resources - hydropower additionally solves a number of important problems for society and the state: the creation of drinking and industrial water supply systems, the development of navigation, the creation of irrigation systems in the interests of agriculture, fish farming, regulation of river flow, allowing to fight floods and floods, ensuring the safety of the population.

Currently, 102 hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of over 100 MW are operating in Russia. The total installed capacity of hydroelectric units at hydroelectric power plants in Russia is approximately 46 GW (5th in the world). In 2011, Russian hydroelectric power plants generated 153 billion kWh of electricity. In the total volume of electricity production in Russia, the share of hydroelectric power plants in 2011 was 15.2%.

During the reform of the electric power industry, the federal hydro-generating company JSC HydroOGK (current name JSC RusHydro) was created, which united the bulk of the country's hydropower assets. Today the company manages 68 renewable energy facilities, including 9 stations of the Volga-Kama cascade with a total installed capacity of more than 10.2 GW, the first-born of large hydropower in the Far East - Zeyskaya HPP (1,330 MW), Bureyskaya HPP (2,010 MW), Novosibirskaya HPP (455 MW) and several dozen hydroelectric power plants in the North Caucasus, including the Kashkhatau HPP (65.1 MW), which was commissioned in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic at the end of 2010. RusHydro also includes geothermal plants in Kamchatka and highly maneuverable capacities of the Zagorskaya pumped storage power plant (PSHPP) in the Moscow Region, which are used to equalize the daily irregularities in the electric load schedule in the IES Center.

Until recently, the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP named after V.I. PS Neporozhny with a capacity of 6721 MW (Khakassia). However, after the accident on August 17, 2009, its capacities were partially out of order. Currently, restoration work is in full swing, which is expected to be completed in full by 2014. On February 24, 2010, hydroelectric unit No. 6 with a capacity of 640 MW was connected to the grid under load, in December 2011, hydroelectric unit No. 1 was put into operation. Today, hydroelectric units No. 1, 3, 4, 5 with a total capacity of 2560 MW are in operation. The second largest hydroelectric power plant in Russia in terms of installed capacity is the Krasnoyarsk HPP.

The prospective development of hydropower in Russia is associated with the development of the potential of the rivers of the North Caucasus (Zaramagsky, Kashkhatau, Gotsatlinskaya HPPs, Zelenchukskaya HPP-PSPPs are being built; plans include the second stage of the Irganai HPP, Agvalinskaya HPP, the development of the Kuban cascade and Sochi North Ossetia and Dagestan), Siberia (completion of the Boguchanskaya, Vilyuiskaya-III and Ust-Srednekanskaya HPPs, design of the South Yakutsk HPP and Evenk HPP), further development of the hydropower complex in the center and north of the European part of Russia, in the Volga region, construction of equalization facilities in the main consuming regions (in particular, the construction of the Leningrad and Zagorskaya PSPP-2).

Nuclear power. Russia has a full cycle nuclear power technology from uranium ore mining to electricity generation. Today, Russia operates 10 nuclear power plants (NPPs) - a total of 33 power units with an installed capacity of 23.2 GW, which generate about 17% of all electricity produced. 5 more nuclear power plants are under construction.

Nuclear energy was widely developed in the European part of Russia (30%) and in the North-West (37% of the total electricity generation).

Figure 2 Electricity production of Russian NPPs (in billion kWh) and capacity of Russian NPPs (in GW) in 1991-2010

power industry spatial alternative industry

In 2011, nuclear power plants generated a record amount of electricity in the entire history of the industry - 173 billion kWh, which was about 1.5% of an increase in comparison with 2010. In December 2007, in accordance with the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom was established, which manages all of Russia's nuclear assets, including both the civilian part of the nuclear industry and the nuclear weapons complex. It is also entrusted with the tasks of fulfilling Russia's international obligations in the field of the peaceful use of atomic energy and the non-proliferation of nuclear materials.

The operator of Russian NPPs, Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC, is the second largest energy company in Europe in terms of nuclear generation. Russian NPPs make a significant contribution to the fight against global warming. Thanks to their work, the emission of 210 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is prevented annually. Safety is a priority for NPP operation. Since 2004, no serious safety violations have been recorded at Russian NPPs classified on the INES international scale above the zero (minimum) level. An important task in the field of operation of Russian NPPs is to increase the installed capacity utilization factor (ICUF) of already operating plants. It is planned that as a result of the implementation of the program for increasing the capacity of the Rosenergoatom Concern OJSC, calculated until 2015, an effect equivalent to the commissioning of four new nuclear power units (equivalent to 4.5 GW of installed capacity) will be obtained.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy is one of the potential directions for the development of the electric power industry in Russia. Currently, there are 56 explored deposits of thermal waters in Russia with a potential exceeding 300 thousand m3 / day. Industrial exploitation is underway at 20 fields, among them: Paratunskoye (Kamchatka), Kazminskoye and Cherkesskoye (Karachay-Cherkessia and Stavropol Territory), Kizlyarskoye and Makhachkala (Dagestan), Mostovskoye and Voznesenskoye (Krasnodar Territory). At the same time, the total electric power potential of steam-water baths, which is estimated at 1 GW of operating electric power, is realized only in the amount of slightly more than 80 MW of installed capacity. All operating Russian geothermal power plants are currently located in Kamchatka and the Kuriles.

Saint Petersburg State University

Service and Economy

Ecology Abstract

on the topic "Electricity"

Completed: 1st year student

Checked:

Introduction:

ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING, the leading area of \u200b\u200benergy, providing electrification of the national economy. In economically developed countries, the technical means of the electric power industry are combined into automated and centrally controlled electric power systems.

Energy is the basis for the development of production forces in any state. Power engineering ensures uninterrupted operation of industry, agriculture, transport, utilities. The stable development of the economy is impossible without the constantly developing energy sector.

The electric power industry, along with other sectors of the national economy, is considered as part of a single national economic system. At present, our life is inconceivable without electrical energy. Electricity has invaded all spheres of human activity: industry and agriculture, science and space. Without electricity, the operation of modern communication means and the development of cybernetics, computing and space technology are impossible. The importance of electricity in agriculture, the transport complex and in everyday life is also great. It is impossible to imagine our life without electricity. Such widespread use is explained by its specific properties:

the ability to transform into almost all other types of energy (thermal, mechanical, sound, light and others) with minimal losses;

the ability to relatively easily be transmitted over long distances in large quantities;

huge speeds of electromagnetic processes;

the ability to split energy and the formation of its parameters (change in voltage, frequency).

the impossibility and, accordingly, unnecessary storage or accumulation.

Industry remains the main consumer of electricity, although its share in the total useful electricity consumption is significantly decreasing. Electrical energy in industry is used to drive various mechanisms and directly in technological processes. Currently, the electrification rate of power drive in industry is 80%. At the same time, about 1/3 of the electricity is consumed directly for technological needs. Industries that often do not use electricity directly for their technological processes are the largest consumers of electricity.

Formation and development of the electric power industry.

The formation of the electric power industry in Russia is associated with the GOELRO plan (1920) for a period of 15 years, which provided for the construction of 10 hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 640 thousand kW. The plan was fulfilled ahead of schedule: by the end of 1935, 40 district power plants had been built. Thus, the GOELRO plan created the basis for the industrialization of Russia, and it took the second place in the production of electricity in the world.

At the beginning of the XX century. in the structure of energy resources consumption, coal occupied an absolutely predominant place. For example, in developed countries by 1950. not coal accounted for 74%, but oil - 17% in total energy consumption. At the same time, the bulk of energy resources was used within the countries where they were mined.

Average annual growth rates of energy consumption in the world in the first half of the XX century accounted for 2-3%, and in 1950-1975. - already 5%.

To cover the increase in energy consumption in the second half of the XX century. the global structure of energy consumption is undergoing major changes. In the 50-60s. more and more oil and gas are replacing coal. In the period from 1952 to 1972. oil was cheap. The price for it on the world market reached $ 14 / t. In the second half of the 70s, the development of large deposits of natural gas also begins and its consumption is gradually increasing, displacing coal.

Until the early 1970s, the growth in energy consumption was largely extensive. In developed countries, its rate was actually determined by the growth rate of industrial production. Meanwhile, the developed fields are beginning to deplete, and the import of energy resources, primarily oil, begins to grow.

In 1973. an energy crisis broke out. The world oil price jumped to $ 250-300 per ton. One of the reasons for the crisis was the reduction of its production in easily accessible places and its movement to areas with extreme natural conditions and to the continental shelf. Another reason was the desire of the main oil exporting countries (OPEC members), which are mainly developing countries, to more effectively use their advantages as owners of the bulk of the world's reserves of this valuable raw material.

During this period, the leading countries of the world were forced to revise their energy development concepts. As a result, forecasts for growth in energy consumption have become more moderate. Energy saving has become a significant place in the energy development programs. If before the energy crisis of the 70s, energy consumption in the world was predicted by 2000 at the level of 20-25 billion tons of standard fuel, then after it the forecasts were adjusted towards a noticeable decrease to 12.4 billion tons of standard fuel.

Industrialized countries are taking major measures to ensure savings in the consumption of primary energy resources. Energy saving is increasingly taking a central place in their national economic concepts. There is a restructuring of the sectoral structure of national economies. The preference is given to low energy-intensive industries and technologies. There is a curtailment of energy-intensive industries. Energy-saving technologies are actively developing, first of all, in energy-intensive industries: metallurgy, metal-working industry, transport. Large-scale scientific and technical programs are being implemented to find and develop alternative energy technologies. In the period from the beginning of the 70s to the end of the 80s. the energy intensity of GDP in the US decreased by 40%, in Japan - by 30%.

During the same period, the nuclear power industry was developing rapidly. In the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s, about 65% of the currently operating nuclear power plants in the world were put into operation.

During this period, the concept of energy security of the state was introduced into political and economic use. Energy strategies of developed countries are aimed not only at reducing the consumption of specific energy carriers (coal or oil), but also generally at reducing the consumption of any energy resources and diversifying their sources.

As a result of all these measures in developed countries, the average annual growth rate of consumption of primary energy resources has noticeably decreased: from 1.8% in the 80s to up to 1.45% in 1991-2000 According to the forecast, until 2015 it will not exceed 1.25%.

In the second half of the 80s, another factor appeared, which today has an increasing influence on the structure and development trends of the fuel and energy complex. Scientists and politicians around the world are actively talking about the consequences of the impact on the nature of man-made human activities, in particular, the impact on the environment of fuel and energy facilities. The tightening of international requirements for environmental protection in order to reduce the greenhouse effect and emissions into the atmosphere (according to the decision of the conference in Kyoto in 1997) should lead to a decrease in the consumption of coal and oil as the most affecting the environment of energy resources, as well as stimulate the improvement of existing and creation of new energy resources. technologies.

Geography of Russia's energy resources.

Energy resources on the territory of Russia are located extremely unevenly. Their main reserves are concentrated in Siberia and the Far East (about 93% of coal, 60% of natural gas, 80% of hydropower resources), and most of the electricity consumers are in the European part of the country. Let's consider this picture in more detail by region.

The Russian Federation consists of 11 economic regions. It is possible to distinguish regions in which a significant amount of electricity is generated, there are five of them: Central, Volga, Ural, Western Siberia and Eastern Siberia.

Central economic region (CED) has a rather favorable economic position, but does not have significant resources. The reserves of fuel resources are extremely small, although the region occupies one of the first places in the country in terms of their consumption. It is located at the intersection of land and water roads, which contribute to the emergence and strengthening of inter-district ties. Fuel reserves are represented by the Moscow Region brown coal basin. The mining conditions there are unfavorable, and the coal is of poor quality. But with the change in energy and transport tariffs, its role has increased, since imported coal has become too expensive. The region possesses rather large, but significantly depleted peat resources. Hydropower reserves are not large; reservoir systems have been created on the Oka, Volga and other rivers. Oil reserves have also been explored, but production is still a long way off. It can be said that the energy resources of the CED are of local importance, and the electric power industry is not an industry of its market specialization.

Large thermal power plants prevail in the structure of the electric power industry of the Central Economic Region. Konakovskaya and Kostromskaya GRES, with a capacity of 3.6 million kW each, operate mainly on fuel oil, Ryazanskaya GRES (2.8 million kW) - on coal. Also quite large are Novomoskovskaya, Cherepetskaya, Shchekinskaya, Yaroslavskaya, Kashirskaya, Shaturskaya thermal power plants and Moscow CHP. HPPs of the Central Economic Region are small and few in number. In the region of the Rybinsk reservoir, the Rybinsk hydroelectric power station was built on the Volga, as well as the Uglich and Ivankovskaya hydroelectric power stations. The pumped storage power plant was built near Sergiev Posad. There are two large nuclear power plants in the region: Smolensk (3 million kW) and Kalininskaya (2 million kW), as well as Obninsk NPP.

All of these power plants are part of the interconnected power system, which does not meet the district's electricity needs. The power systems of the Volga region, the Urals, and the South are now connected to the Center.

The power plants in the region are distributed fairly evenly, although most are concentrated in the center of the region. In the future, the electric power industry of the Center for Economic Development will develop through the expansion of existing thermal power plants and nuclear power.

Volga Economicareaspecializes in oil and petroleum refining, chemical, gas, manufacturing, construction materials and power generation. In the structure of the economy, an intersectoral machine-building complex is distinguished.

The most important mineral resources of the region are oil and gas. Large oil fields are located in Tatarstan (Romashkinskoye, Pervomayskoye, Yelabuzhskoye, etc.), in Samara (Mukhanovskoye), Saratov and Volgograd regions. Natural gas resources have been found in the Astrakhan region (a gas industrial complex is being formed), in the Saratov (Kurdyumo-Elshanskoye and Stepanovskoye fields) and Volgograd (Zhirnovskoye, Korobovskoye and other fields) regions.

In the structure of the electric power industry, there is a large Zainskaya GRES (2.4 million kW), located in the north of the region and operating on fuel oil and coal, as well as a number of large thermal power plants. Separate smaller thermal power plants serve settlements and industry in them. Two nuclear power plants have been built in the region: Balakovskaya (3 million kW) and Dimitrovgrad NPP. The Samara HPP (2.3 million kW), the Saratov HPP (1.3 million kW), and the Volgograd HPP (2.5 million kW) were built on the Volga. The Nizhnekamsk hydroelectric power station (1.1 million kW) was built on the Kama near the city of Naberezhnye Chelny. Hydroelectric power plants operate in an interconnected system.

The energy sector of the Volga region is of inter-district importance. Electricity is transmitted to the Urals, Donbass and the Center.

A feature of the Volga economic region is that most of the industry is concentrated along the banks of the Volga, an important transport artery. And this explains the concentration of power plants near the Volga and Kama rivers.

Ural - one of the most powerful industrial complexes in the country. The areas of market specialization of the region are ferrous metallurgy, non-ferrous metallurgy, processing, timber industry and mechanical engineering.

The fuel resources of the Urals are very diverse: coal, oil, natural gas, oil shale, peat. Oil is mainly concentrated in Bashkortostan, Udmurtia, Perm and Orenburg regions. Natural gas is produced in the Orenburg gas condensate field, the largest in the European part of Russia. Coal reserves are small.

In the Urals economic region, thermal power plants prevail in the structure of the electric power industry. There are three large GRES in the region: Reftinskaya (3.8 million kW), Troitskaya (2.4 million kW) operate on coal, Iriklinskaya (2.4 million kW) - on fuel oil. Some cities are served by Perm, Magnitogorsk, Orenburg thermal power plants, Yaivinskaya, Yuzhnouralskaya and Karmanovskaya TPPs. Hydroelectric power plants were built on the Ufa River (Pavlovskaya HPP) and Kama (Kamskaya and Votkinskaya HPPs). In the Urals there is a nuclear power plant - Beloyarsk NPP (0.6 million kW) near the city of Yekaterinburg. The largest concentration of power plants is in the center of the economic region.

Western Siberia refers to areas with a high endowment of natural resources with a shortage of labor resources. It is located at the crossroads of railways and the great Siberian rivers in close proximity to the industrially developed Urals.

In the region, industries of specialization include the fuel, mining, chemical, power generation and construction materials industries.

Thermal power plants play the leading role in Western Siberia. Surgutskaya GRES (3.1 million kW) is located in the center of the region. The main part of the power plants is concentrated in the south: in the Kuzbass and adjacent regions. There are power plants serving Tomsk, Biysk, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, as well as Omsk, Tobolsk and Tyumen. The hydroelectric power plant was built on the Ob near Novosibirsk. There are no nuclear power plants in the region.

On the territory of the Tyumen and Tomsk regions, the largest program-target TPK in Russia is being formed on the basis of unique oil and natural gas reserves in the northern and middle parts of the West Siberian Plain and significant forest resources.

Eastern Siberia is distinguished by an exceptional wealth and variety of natural resources. Huge reserves of coal and hydropower resources are concentrated here. The most studied and developed are the Kansk-Achinsk, Irkutsk and Minusinsk coal basins. There are less explored deposits (on the territory of Tyva, Tunguska coal basin). There are oil reserves. In terms of the wealth of hydropower resources, Eastern Siberia ranks first in Russia. The high speed of the Yenisei and Angara flows creates favorable conditions for the construction of power plants.

The branches of market specialization in Eastern Siberia include the electric power industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, mining and fuel industries.

The most important area of \u200b\u200bmarket specialization is the power industry. Until relatively recently, this industry was poorly developed and hindered the development of industry in the region. Over the past 30 years, a powerful electric power industry has been created on the basis of cheap coal and hydropower resources, and the region has taken the leading place in the country in terms of electricity production per capita.

Ust-Khantayskaya HPP, Kureyskaya HPP, Mainskaya HPP, Krasnoyarsk HPP (6 million kW) and Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP (6.4 million kW) have been built on the Yenisei. The hydraulic power plants built on the Angara are of great importance: Ust-Ilimskaya HPP (4.3 million kW), Bratsk HPP (4.5 million kW) and Irkutsk HPP (600 thousand kW). The Boguchanovskaya HPP is under construction. The Mamakanskaya hydroelectric power station on the Vitim river and a cascade of Vilyui hydroelectric power plants were also built.

Powerful Nazarovskaya GRES (6 million kW), powered by coal, have been built in the region; Berezovskaya (design capacity - 6.4 million kW), Chitinskaya and Irsha-Borodinskaya GRES; Norilsk and Irkutsk CHPPs. Thermal power plants were also built to serve cities such as Krasnoyarsk, Angarsk, Ulan-Ude. There are no nuclear power plants in the region.

The power plants are part of the united energy system of Central Siberia. The power industry in Eastern Siberia creates especially favorable conditions for the development of energy-intensive industries in the region: metallurgy of light metals and a number of chemical industries.

Unified Energy System of Russia.

For a more rational, comprehensive and economical use of the overall potential of Russia, the Unified Energy System (UES) has been created. It has over 700 large power plants with a total capacity of more than 250 million kW (84% of the capacity of all power plants in the country). The UES is managed from a single center.

The Unified Energy System has a number of clear economic benefits. Powerful power transmission lines (power transmission lines) significantly increase the reliability of electricity supply to the national economy. They align the annual and daily schedules of electricity consumption, improve the economic performance of power plants and create conditions for the full electrification of areas where there is a lack of electricity.

The UES of the former USSR included power plants, which spread their influence over an area of \u200b\u200bover 10 million km 2 with a population of about 220 million people.

The United Energy Systems (UES) of the Center, the Volga region, the Urals, the North-West, the North Caucasus are included in the UES of the European part. They are connected by high-voltage highways Samara - Moscow (500 kW), Moscow - St. Petersburg (750 kW), Volgograd - Moscow (500 kW), Samara - Chelyabinsk, etc.

There are numerous thermal power plants (KES and CHPP) operating on coal (near Moscow, Ural, etc.), shale, peat, natural gas and fuel oil, and nuclear power plants. Hydroelectric power plants are of great importance, covering the peak loads of large industrial areas and nodes.

Russia exports electricity to Belarus and Ukraine, from where it goes to the countries of Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan.

Conclusion

RAO "UES of Russia", as a leader in the industry among the former Soviet republics, managed to synchronize the energy systems of 14 CIS and Baltic countries, including five EurAsEC member states, and thereby enter the final stretch of the formation of a single electricity market. In 1998, only seven of them worked in parallel.

The mutual benefits our countries receive from the parallel operation of power systems are obvious. The reliability of energy supply to consumers has improved (in light of recent accidents in the United States and Western European countries, this is of great importance), the amount of reserve capacity required by each country in case of power failures has decreased. Finally, conditions have been created for mutually beneficial export and import of electricity. Thus, RAO "UES of Russia" is already importing cheap Tajik and Kyrgyz electricity through Kazakhstan. These supplies are extremely important for the energy-deficient regions of Siberia and the Urals; they also make it possible to "dilute" the Federal wholesale electricity market, restraining the growth of tariffs within Russia. On the other hand, RAO "UES of Russia" simultaneously exports electricity to those countries where tariffs are several times higher than the national average, for example, to Georgia, Belarus, and Finland. By 2007, the synchronization of the energy systems of Russia and the European Union is expected, opening up huge prospects for the export of electricity from the EurAsEC member countries to Europe

List of used literature:

Monthly production - mass magazine "Energetik" 2001. # 1.

Morozova T.G. "Regional Studies", M .: "Unity", 1998

Rodionova I.A., Bunakova T.M. "Economic Geography", M.: 1998.

Fuel and energy complex is the most important structure of the Russian economy. / Industry of Russia. 1999 No. 3

Yanovskiy A.B. Energy strategy of Russia until 2020, M., 2001

All existing types of electric power industry can be divided into those that have already reached maturity and are at the stage of development and development. For some, only modernization is required, for others - innovative technological solutions.

The mature types of electric power engineering include, first of all, thermal, nuclear, and hydropower. With certain reservations, some types of alternative energy also fall into this group: solar, wind, tidal, etc. They are actively used in many countries, but due to some restrictions they have not become widespread. Well, other types of energy are now at the stage of formation: fuel-free energy, thermonuclear energy, etc.

On the territory of Russia, the most widespread among various types of electric power industry is thermal power, mainly gas and coal. Thermal power plants that run on fossil fuels are traditionally the leaders in the Russian power industry. This has developed historically and is considered economically justified.

In practice, nuclear power is also sometimes referred to as a subspecies of thermal power engineering, because as a result of the fission of atomic nuclei in a reactor, heat is released, and then everything happens in the same way as in the combustion of fossil fuel. Nuclear power in Russia is a fairly popular type of power industry. In our country, a full cycle of technologies is used, from the extraction of uranium ores to the generation of electricity. However, major accidents at nuclear power plants that have taken place in the past decades have turned the world community against this type of power industry.

In hydropower, the kinetic energy of water flow is used to generate electrical energy. Hydroelectric power plants require almost the same amount of electricity to operate as they generate. Therefore, hydroelectric power plants, in fact, are not generating capacities in their pure form. But such plants, if necessary, effectively cover peak loads, thereby making hydropower stand out from other types of power generation.

Alternative types of power engineering include wind and solar power, which, for some reason, have not become sufficiently widespread. At the moment, wind and solar stations are low-power with high cost of equipment for them. In addition, a backup power source is required (in the absence of wind or at night, respectively). Also, tidal hydropower is referred to as alternative types of electric power. For the construction of a tidal power plant, a sea coast with sufficiently strong fluctuations in water level is required, otherwise it will be economically impractical.

The advantage of alternative types of power generation is the renewable energy sources. Their use can significantly save fossil fuel, while preserving hydrocarbon reserves. Scientific research carried out in the field of alternative types of electric power makes them increasingly available for use. Renewable energy is gaining more and more geographical distribution around the world.

There are other types of electric power, the technology of which is still little known. These include the development of direct methods of generating electricity from the environment using accumulating charges of the ionosphere, using the energy of the earth's rotation, etc. The use of various types of electric power allows the most efficient distribution of the load, covering the global demand for electricity and creating the necessary power reserve.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of electricity. Rather, we subconsciously underestimate it. After all, almost all the equipment around us operates on the power grid. There is no need to talk about elementary lighting. But we are practically not interested in the production of electricity. Where does electricity come from and how is it stored (and in general, is it possible to save)? How much does electricity generation actually cost? And how safe is it for the environment?

Economic significance

From the school bench, we know that the power supply is one of the main factors in obtaining high labor productivity. Electricity is the core of all human activities. There is not a single industry that would do without it.

The development of this industry testifies to the high competitiveness of the state, characterizes the growth rate of production of goods and services, and almost always turns out to be a problem sector of the economy. The cost of generating electricity is often a substantial initial investment that will pay off over the years. For all its resources, Russia is no exception. After all, a significant share of the economy is made up of energy-intensive industries.

Statistics tell us that in 2014, Russia's electricity production has not yet reached the level of the Soviet 1990. Compared to China and the United States, the Russian Federation produces - respectively - 5 and 4 times less electricity. Why is this happening? Experts say this is obvious: the highest non-production costs.

Who consumes electricity

Of course, the answer is obvious: everyone. But now we are interested in industrial scale, which means those industries that primarily need electricity. The main share falls on the industry - about 36%; Fuel and energy complex (18%) and residential sector (slightly more than 15%). The remaining 31% of generated electricity comes from non-manufacturing industries, railways and network losses.

It should be borne in mind that, depending on the region, the consumption structure changes significantly. So, in Siberia, more than 60% of electricity is actually used by industry and the fuel and energy complex. But in the European part of the country, where there are more settlements, the most powerful consumer is the residential sector.

Power plants are the backbone of the industry

Electricity production in Russia is provided by almost 600 power plants. Each capacity exceeds 5 MW. The total capacity of all power plants is 218 GW. How do we get electricity? The following types of power plants are used in Russia:

• thermal (their share in the total production volume is about 68.5%);
• hydraulic (20.3%);
• atomic (almost 11%);
• alternative (0.2%).

When it comes to alternative sources of electricity, romantic pictures of wind turbines and solar panels come to mind. However, in certain conditions and localities, these are the most profitable types of electricity production.

Thermal power plants

Historically, thermal power plants (TPPs) occupy the main place in the production process. On the territory of Russia, TPPs providing electricity generation are classified according to the following criteria:

• energy source - fossil fuel, geothermal or solar energy;
• type of generated energy - heating, condensation.

Another important indicator is the degree of participation in the coverage of the electric load schedule. Here stand out basic TPPs with a minimum use time of 5000 hours per year; half-peak (they are also called maneuverable) - 3000-4000 hours per year; peak (used only during peak hours) - 1500-2000 hours per year.

Energy from fuel technology

Of course, mainly the production, transmission and use of electricity by consumers occurs at the expense of thermal power plants operating on fossil fuel. They are distinguished by production technology:

• steam turbine;
• diesel;
• gas turbine;
• steam and gas.

Steam turbine installations are the most common. They run on all types of fuel, including not only coal and gas, but also fuel oil, peat, shale, firewood and wood waste, as well as processed products.

Fossil fuels

The largest volume of electricity production falls on the Surgutskaya GRES-2, which is the most powerful not only in the Russian Federation, but also in the entire Eurasian continent. Powered by natural gas, it generates up to 5,600 MW of electricity. And of the coal-fired ones, the Reftinskaya GRES has the highest capacity - 3,800 MW. Kostromskaya and Surgutskaya GRES-1 can provide more than 3000 MW. It should be noted that the abbreviation GRES has not changed since the times of the Soviet Union. It stands for State District Power Plant.

During the reform of the industry, the production and distribution of electricity at TPPs should be accompanied by the technical re-equipment of existing plants, their reconstruction. Also among the priority tasks is the construction of new energy generating facilities.

Electricity from renewable resources

The electricity generated by hydroelectric power plants is an essential element of the stability of the unified energy system of the state. It is hydroelectric power plants that can increase the volume of electricity production in a matter of hours.

The great potential of the Russian hydropower industry lies in the fact that almost 9% of the world's water reserves are located in the country. It is the second largest in the world in terms of the availability of hydro resources. Countries like Brazil, Canada and the United States are left behind. The production of electricity in the world at the expense of hydroelectric power plants is somewhat complicated by the fact that the most favorable places for their construction are significantly removed from settlements or industrial enterprises.

Nevertheless, thanks to the electricity generated at the hydroelectric power station, the country manages to save about 50 million tons of fuel. If it were possible to develop the full potential of hydropower, Russia could save up to 250 million tons. And this is already a serious investment in the country's ecology and flexible capacity of the energy system.

Hydroelectric power stations

The construction of a hydroelectric power station solves many issues not related to energy production. This is the creation of water supply and sanitation systems for entire regions, and the construction of irrigation networks, which are so necessary for agriculture, and flood control, etc. The latter, by the way, is of no small importance for the safety of people.

The production, transmission and distribution of electricity is currently carried out by 102 HPPs, the unit capacity of which exceeds 100 MW. The total capacity of Russian hydroelectric plants is approaching 46 GW.

The countries producing electricity regularly make their ratings. So, Russia now ranks 5th in the world in terms of generating electricity from renewable resources. The most significant facilities should be considered the Zeiskaya HPP (it is not only the first one built in the Far East, but also quite powerful - 1330 MW), the cascade of the Volzhsko-Kama power plants (the total production and transmission of electricity is more than 10.5 GW), Bureyskaya HPP ( 2010 MW), etc. Separately, I would like to note the Caucasian HPPs. Of the several dozen operating in this region, the most prominent is the new (already commissioned) Kashkhatau HPP with a capacity of more than 65 MW.

Geothermal hydroelectric power plants in Kamchatka deserve special attention. These are very powerful and mobile stations.

The most powerful hydroelectric power plants

As already noted, the production and use of electricity is hampered by the remoteness of the main consumers. Nevertheless, the state is busy developing this industry. Not only are the existing ones reconstructed, but also new ones are being built. They must develop the mountain rivers of the Caucasus, the high-water Ural rivers, as well as the resources of the Kola Peninsula and Kamchatka. Among the most powerful are several hydroelectric power plants.

Sayano-Shushenskaya them. PS Neporozhny was built in 1985 on the Yenisei River. Its current capacity has not yet reached the estimated 6,000 MW due to reconstruction and repairs after the 2009 accident.

The production and consumption of electricity by the Krasnoyarsk HPP is designed for the Krasnoyarsk aluminum plant. This is the only "client" of the hydroelectric power station that was commissioned in 1972. Its design capacity is 6,000 MW. Krasnoyarsk HPP is the only one with a ship lift installed. It provides regular navigation along the Yenisei River.

Bratsk hydroelectric power station was put into operation back in 1967. Its dam blocks the Angara River near the city of Bratsk. Like the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station, Bratsk works for the needs of the Bratsk aluminum plant. All 4500 MW of electricity go to it. The poet Yevtushenko also dedicated a poem to this hydroelectric station.

Another hydroelectric power station is located on the Angara River - Ust-Ilimskaya (with a capacity of slightly more than 3800 MW). Its construction began in 1963 and ended in 1979. At the same time, the production of cheap electricity for the main consumers began: the Irkutsk and Bratsk aluminum plants, the Irkutsk aircraft building plant.

Volzhskaya HPP is located north of Volgograd. Its capacity is almost 2,600 MW. This hydroelectric power plant, the largest in Europe, has been operating since 1961. Not far from Togliatti, the oldest of the large hydroelectric power plants, Zhigulevskaya, operates. It was commissioned back in 1957. The HPP's capacity of 2,330 MW covers the electricity needs of Central Russia, the Urals and the Middle Volga.

But the electricity generation required for the needs of the Far East is provided by the Bureyskaya HPP. We can say that it is still quite "young" - commissioning took place only in 2002. The installed capacity of this HPP is 2010 MW of electricity.

Experimental marine hydroelectric power plants

Multiple oceanic and sea bays also have hydropower potential. Indeed, the height difference during high tide in most of them exceeds 10 meters. This means that you can generate a huge amount of energy. In 1968, the Kislogubskaya experimental tidal station was opened. Its capacity is 1.7 MW.

Peaceful atom

Russian nuclear energy is a full-cycle technology: from uranium ore mining to electricity generation. Today, there are 33 power units operating in the country at 10 nuclear power plants. The total installed capacity is just over 23 MW.

The maximum amount of electricity generated by the NPP was in 2011. The figure was 173 billion kWh. Electricity production per capita from nuclear power plants increased by 1.5% compared to the previous year.

Of course, operational safety is a priority in the development of nuclear energy. But nuclear power plants play a significant role in the fight against global warming. Environmentalists are constantly talking about this, who emphasize that only in Russia it is possible to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 210 million tons per year.

Nuclear energy has developed mainly in the North-West and in the European part of Russia. In 2012, all nuclear power plants generated about 17% of all generated electricity.

Nuclear power plants of Russia

The largest nuclear power plant in Russia is located in the Saratov region. The annual capacity of the Balakovo NPP is 30 billion kWh of electricity. At the Beloyarsk NPP (Sverdlovsk Region), only Unit 3 is currently in operation. But even this allows us to call it one of the most powerful. 600 MW of electricity is generated by a fast neutron reactor. It is worth noting that it was the first fast neutron power unit in the world installed to generate electricity on an industrial scale.

In Chukotka, the Bilibino nuclear power plant has been installed, which generates 12 MW of electricity. And the Kalinin nuclear power plant can be considered recently built. Its first unit was commissioned in 1984, and the last (fourth) only in 2010. The total capacity of all power units is 1000 MW. In 2001 the Rostov NPP was built and put into operation. Since the connection of the second power unit - in 2010 - its installed capacity has exceeded 1000 MW, and the capacity utilization rate has been 92.4%.

Wind energy

The economic potential of wind energy in Russia is estimated at 260 billion kWh per year. This is almost 30% of all electricity produced today. The capacity of all wind turbines operating in the country is 16.5 MW.

Such regions as the coast of the oceans, foothill and mountainous regions of the Urals and the Caucasus are especially favorable for the development of this industry.

The electric power industry deals with the production and transmission of electricity and is one of the basic branches of heavy industry.

In terms of electricity production, Russia is in second place in the world after the United States, but the gap in this indicator between our countries is very significant (in 1992.

In Russia, 976 billion kWh of electricity was produced, and in the United States - more than 3,000, i.e. more than three times.

In the past fifty years, the electric power industry has been one of the most dynamically developing industries in our country, it outstripped both industry in general and heavy industry in terms of development rates. However, recent years have been characterized by a decrease in the rate of increase in electricity production, and in 1991, for the first time, there was a decrease in absolute production indicators (Table 3.1).

Table 3.1. Electricity production in Russia, billion kWh. *

* From the book: Russian statistical yearbook. - M., 1997 .-- S. 344.

Currently, the power industry in Russia is in a deep crisis. The annual commissioning of capacities has decreased to the level of the 1950s, more than half of the electric power equipment is outdated, in need of reconstruction, and some - in immediate replacement. A sharp reduction in capacity reserves leads to a difficult situation with the supply of electricity in a number of regions (especially in the North Caucasus, the Far East).

The bulk of the electricity produced in Russia 1 is used by industry - 60% (in the USA, respectively 39.5), and most of it is consumed by heavy industry - mechanical engineering, metallurgy, chemical, forestry, 9% of electricity is consumed in agriculture (in the USA - 4.2), 9.7% - transport (in the USA - 0.2%), 13.5% - by other industries - services and households, advertising, etc. (in the USA this is the main sphere of electricity consumption - 44.5 %). Part of the electricity produced is exported. Electricity losses in Russia account for about 8% of its production (in the USA - 11.6%).

A distinctive feature of the Russian economy (as well as the former USSR) is a higher energy intensity of the national income produced by countries (almost one and a half times higher than in the USA), so it is necessary to widely introduce energy-saving technologies and equipment. Nevertheless, even in the conditions of a decrease in the energy intensity of GNP, the specificity of the development of energy production is the constantly increasing need for it in the industrial and social spheres. The power industry plays an important role in the transition to a market economy; the way out of the economic crisis and the solution of social problems largely depend on its development. To solve social problems in 1991-2000. will go over 50% of the increase in electricity consumption, and in 2000-2010.

Almost 60%.

A specific feature of the electric power industry is that its products cannot be accumulated for subsequent use, therefore consumption corresponds to the production of electricity both in size (taking into account losses, of course) and in time. There are stable interregional connections for the import and export of electricity: the electric power industry is a branch of specialization of the Volga and East Siberian large economic regions. Large power plants play a significant district-forming role. On their basis, energy-intensive and heat-intensive industries arise (smelting of aluminum, titanium, ferroalloys, production of chemical fibers, etc.). For example, the Sayan TPK (on the basis of the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP) - electrometallurgy: the Sayan aluminum plant, a non-ferrous metal processing plant is being built, a molybdenum plant is being built, and in the future it is planned to build an electrometallurgical plant.

At present, our life is inconceivable without electrical energy. Electricity has invaded all spheres of human activity: industry and agriculture, science and space. It is also impossible to imagine our life without electricity. Such widespread use is explained by its specific properties:

· The ability to transform into almost all other types of energy (thermal, mechanical, sound, light, etc.);

· The ability to relatively easily be transmitted over long distances in large quantities;

· Huge speeds of electromagnetic processes;

· The ability to split energy and the formation of its parameters (change in voltage, frequency).

In industry, electrical energy is used to drive various mechanisms and directly in technological processes. The work of modern communication facilities (telegraph, telephone, radio, television) is based on the use of electricity. Without it, the development of cybernetics, computer technology, and space technology would have been impossible.

In agriculture, electricity is used for heating greenhouses and livestock buildings, lighting, and automating manual labor on farms.

Electricity plays a huge role in the transport industry. Electric transport does not pollute the environment. A large amount of electricity is consumed by electrified railway transport, which allows increasing the throughput of roads by increasing the speed of trains, reducing the cost of transportation, and increasing fuel economy.

Electricity in everyday life is the main part of ensuring a comfortable life for people. Many household appliances (refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, irons, etc.) were created thanks to the development of the electrical industry.

Power engineering is the most important part of human life. The level of its development reflects the level of development of the productive forces of society and the possibilities of scientific and technological progress.

The formation of the Russian electric power industry is connected with the GOELRO plan (1920). The GOELRO plan, calculated for 10-15 years, provided for the construction of 10 hydroelectric power plants and 20 steam power plants with a total capacity of 1.5 million kW. In fact, the plan was implemented in 10 years - by 1931, and by the end of 1935, instead of 30 power plants, 40 regional power plants were built, including Svirskaya and Volkhovskaya hydroelectric power plants, Shaturskaya GRES on peat and Kashirskaya GRES on coal near Moscow.

The plan was based on:

· Widespread use of local fuel resources at power plants;

· Creation of high-voltage electrical networks, connecting powerful stations;

· Economic use of fuel, achieved by the parallel operation of TPP and HPP;

· Construction of hydropower plants, primarily in areas poor in organic fuel.

The GOELRO plan created the basis for the industrialization of Russia. In the 1920s, our country occupied one of the last places in energy production, and already at the end of the 1940s it took first place in Europe and second in the world.

Development and placement of the main types of power plants in Russia. In subsequent years, the electric power industry developed at a rapid pace, power transmission lines (PTL) were built. Nuclear energy began to develop simultaneously with hydraulic and thermal power plants.

Thermal power plants (TPP). The main type of power plants in Russia is thermal, operating on fossil fuels (coal, fuel oil, gas, shale, peat). Among them, the main role is played by powerful (more than 2 million kW) GRES - state regional power plants that meet the needs of the economic region and operate in power systems.

The location of thermal power plants is mainly influenced by fuel and consumer factors. The most powerful thermal power plants are located, as a rule, in places where fuel is extracted. Thermal power plants using local fuels (peat, shale, low-calorie and high-ash coals) are consumer-oriented and at the same time are at the source of fuel resources. Power plants using high-calorific fuel, which are economically efficient to transport, are consumer-oriented. As for thermal power plants operating on fuel oil, they are located mainly in the centers of the oil refining industry. Table 3.2 shows the characteristics of the largest GRES.

Table 3.2. GRES with a capacity of more than 2 million kW

Large thermal power plants are coal-fired state district power station of the Kansk-Achinsk basin, Berezovskaya state district power station-1 and state district power station-2. Surgutskaya GRES-2, Urengoyskaya GRES (runs on gas).

A powerful territorial production complex is being created on the basis of the Kansk-Achinsk basin. The TPK project envisaged the creation of 10 unique super-powerful state district power stations of 6.4 million kW each on an area of \u200b\u200babout 10 thousand km2 around Krasnoyarsk. Currently, the number of planned GRES has been reduced to 8 (for environmental reasons - emissions into the atmosphere, accumulations of ash in huge quantities).

At the moment, the construction of only the 1st stage of the TPK has begun. In 1989, the first unit of Berezovskaya GRES-1 with a capacity of 800 thousand kW was put into operation and the issue of building GRES-2 and GRES-3 of the same capacity (at a distance of only 9 km from each other) has already been resolved.

The advantages of thermal power plants in comparison with other types of power plants are as follows: relatively free location associated with the widespread distribution of fuel resources in Russia; the ability to generate electricity without seasonal fluctuations (in contrast to the state district power station).

The disadvantages include: the use of non-renewable fuel resources; low efficiency, extremely adverse impact on the environment.

Thermal power plants around the world emit 200-250 million tons of ash and about 60 million tons of sulfur dioxide annually into the atmosphere; they absorb huge amounts of oxygen in the air. To date, it has been established that the radioactive environment around coal-fired thermal power plants, on average (in the world), is 100 times higher than near nuclear power plants of the same power (since ordinary coal almost always contains uranium-238 as trace impurities, thorium -232 and radioactive isotope carbon). TPPs of our country, unlike foreign ones, are still not equipped with any efficient systems for cleaning exhaust gases from sulfur and nitrogen oxides. True, natural gas thermal power plants are significantly cleaner than coal, fuel oil and shale ones, but the laying of gas pipelines inflicts enormous environmental harm on nature, especially in the northern regions.

Despite the noted shortcomings, in the short term (until 2000), the share of TPPs in the increase in electricity production should be 78-88% (since the increase in production at NPPs due to increased requirements and their safety will be very insignificant at best, the construction of HPPs will be limited to the construction of dams mainly in conditions with minimal flooded areas).

The fuel balance of thermal power plants in Russia is characterized by the predominance of gas and fuel oil. In the near future, it is planned to increase the share of gas in the fuel balance of power plants in the western regions, in regions with a difficult ecological situation, especially in large cities. Thermal power plants in the eastern regions will be based mainly on coal, primarily on cheap open-pit coal in the Kansk-Achinsk basin.

Hydraulic power plants (HPP). In second place in terms of the amount of electricity generated is the hydroelectric power station (in 1991 - 16.5%). Hydroelectric power plants are a very effective source of energy, since they use renewable resources, have ease of management (the number of personnel at HPPs is 15-20 times less than at GRES) and have a high efficiency (over 80%). As a result, the energy produced at the hydroelectric power station is the cheapest. A huge advantage of a hydroelectric power station is its high maneuverability, that is, the possibility of almost instantaneous automatic start-up and shutdown of any required number of units. This makes it possible to use powerful HPPs either as the most maneuverable "peak" power plants that ensure the stable operation of large power systems, or during the period of daily peak load of the electrical system, when the available capacity of the TPP is not enough. Naturally, only powerful hydroelectric power plants can do this.

But the construction of a hydroelectric power station requires a long time and large specific investments, leads to the loss of flat lands, damages the fish industry. The share of participation of HPPs in the generation of electricity is significantly less than their share in the installed capacity, which is explained by the fact that their full capacity is realized only in a short period of time, and only in high-water years. Therefore, despite the provision of Russia with hydropower resources, hydropower cannot serve as the basis for generating electricity in the country.

The most powerful hydroelectric power plants were built in Siberia, where hydro resources are developed most efficiently: specific capital investments are 2-3 times lower and the cost of electricity is 4-5 times lower than in the European part of the country (Table 3.3).

Table 3.3. HPP with a capacity of more than 2 million kW

Hydroelectric construction in our country was characterized by the construction of cascades of hydroelectric power plants on rivers. A cascade is a group of hydroelectric power plants located in steps along the course of a water stream in order to consistently use its energy. At the same time, in addition to generating electricity, the problems of supplying the population and producing water, eliminating floods, and improving transport conditions are being solved. Unfortunately, the creation of cascades in the country led to extremely negative consequences: the loss of valuable agricultural lands, especially floodplain lands, and a violation of the ecological balance.

HPPs can be divided into two main groups; Hydroelectric power stations on large flat rivers and hydroelectric power stations on mountain rivers. In our country, most of the hydroelectric power station was built on flat rivers. Plain reservoirs are usually large in area and change natural conditions over large areas. The sanitary condition of water bodies is deteriorating. Sewage, which was previously carried out by rivers, accumulates in reservoirs; special measures have to be taken to flush river beds and reservoirs. The construction of hydroelectric power stations on flat rivers is less profitable than on mountain ones. But sometimes it is necessary to create normal shipping and irrigation.

The largest hydropower plants in the country are part of the Angara-Yenisei cascade: Sayano-Shushenskaya, Krasnoyarskaya on the Yenisei, Irkutsk, Bratsk, Ust-Ilimskaya on the Angara, the Boguchanskaya HPP (4 million kW) is under construction.

In the European part of the country, a large cascade of hydroelectric power stations was created on the Volga: Ivankovskaya, Uglichskaya, Rybinskaya, Gorkovskaya, Cheboksarskaya, Volzhskaya named after IN AND. Lenin, Saratov, Volzhskaya.

The construction of pumped storage power plants - pumped storage power plants - is very promising. Their action is based on the cyclical movement of the same volume of water between two basins: upper and lower. At night, when there is a need for electricity, little water is pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper basin, while consuming excess energy produced at night by power plants. During the day, when the consumption of electricity sharply increases, water is discharged from the upper basin down through the turbines, while generating energy. This is beneficial, since it is impossible to stop the hydroelectric power station at night. Thus, the PSPP allows solving the problems of peak loads, flexibility in the use of power grid capacities. In Russia, especially in the European part, there is an acute problem of creating flexible power plants, including pumped storage power plants (as well as CCGT, GTU). The Zagorskaya PSPP (1.2 million kW) has been built, the Central PSPP (2.6 million kW) is under construction.

Nuclear power plants. The share of nuclear power plants in the total electricity generation is about 12% (in the USA - 19.6%, in the UK - 18.9%, in Germany - 34%, in Belgium - 65%, in France - over 76%). It was planned that the share of nuclear power plants in the production of electricity in the USSR in 1990 will reach 20%, in fact, only 12.3% was achieved. The Chernobyl disaster caused a reduction in the nuclear construction program; since 1986, only 4 power units have been put into operation.

At present, the situation is changing, the government adopted a special decree that actually approved the program for the construction of new nuclear power plants until 2010. Its initial stage is the modernization of existing power units and the commissioning of new ones, which should replace the blocks of the Bilibinskaya, Novovoronezh and Kola NPPs that are retired after 2000 ...

Now in Russia there are 9 nuclear power plants with a total capacity of 20.2 million kW (Table 3.4). Another 14 nuclear power plants and ACT (nuclear heat supply station) with a total capacity of 17.2 million kW are at the design stage, construction or temporarily mothballed.

Table 3.4. Operating NPP capacity

At present, the practice of international examination of projects and operating nuclear power plants has been introduced. As a result of the expert examination, 2 units of the Voronezh NPP were decommissioned, the Beloyarsk NPP is planned to be decommissioned, the first power unit of the Novovoronezh NPP is shut down, the almost finished Rostov NPP is mothballed, and a number of projects are being revised again. It was found that the location of the NPP in a number of cases was chosen unsuccessfully, and the quality of their construction and equipment did not always meet the regulatory requirements.

The principles of NPP siting were revised. First of all, the following are taken into account: the district's need for electricity, natural conditions (in particular, a sufficient amount of water), population density, the possibility of ensuring the protection of people from unacceptable radiation exposure in certain emergency situations. This takes into account the likelihood of earthquakes, floods, and the presence of nearby groundwater on the proposed site. NPPs should be located no closer than 25 km from cities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants, for ACT - no closer than 5 km. The total capacity of the power plant is limited: NPP - 8 million kW, ACT - 2 million kW.

New in the nuclear power industry is the creation of a CHPP and ACT. A CHPP, like a conventional CHPP, produces both electrical and thermal energy, and at ACT (nuclear power plants) - only heat. Voronezh and Nizhny Novgorod ACT are under construction. The NPP operates in the Bilibino village in Chukotka. The Leningradskaya and Beloyarskaya NPPs also provide low-grade heat for heating needs. In Nizhny Novgorod, the decision to create an ACT caused sharp protests from the population, so an expert examination was carried out by the IAEA specialists, who gave an opinion on the high quality of the project.

The advantages of a nuclear power plant are as follows: it can be built in any region, regardless of its energy resources; nuclear fuel is distinguished by an unusually high energy content (1 kg of the main nuclear fuel - uranium - contains the same energy as 25,000 tons of coal: nuclear power plants do not emit emissions into the atmosphere in trouble-free operation (unlike thermal power plants), do not absorb oxygen from air.

NPP operation is accompanied by a number of negative consequences.

1. The existing difficulties in the use of atomic energy - the disposal of radioactive waste. For removal from the stations, containers are constructed with powerful protection and a cooling system. Burial is carried out in the ground at great depths in geologically stable formations.

2. The catastrophic consequences of accidents at our nuclear power plants - due to an imperfect protection system.

3. Thermal pollution of water bodies used by the NPP. The functioning of nuclear power plants as objects of increased danger requires the participation of state authorities and management in the formation of development directions, the allocation of the necessary funds.

In the future, more and more attention will be paid to the use of alternative energy sources - the sun, wind, internal heat of the earth, sea tides. Experimental power plants have already been built on these unconventional energy sources: on tidal waves on the Kola Peninsula, the Kislogubskaya and Mezenskaya, on the thermal waters of Kamchatka - power plants near the Pauzhetka River, etc. Wind power plants in residential settlements of the Far North with a capacity of up to 4 kW are used to protect - and oil pipelines in offshore fields. Work is underway to involve such an energy source as biomass in the economic circulation.

For a more economical, rational and comprehensive use of the total potential of the power plant of our country, the Unified Energy System (UES) has been created, in which more than 700 large power plants operate with a total capacity of over 250 million kW (that is, 84% of the capacity of all power plants in the country). The UES is managed from a single center equipped with electronic computers.

The economic benefits of the Unified Energy System are obvious. Powerful power transmission lines significantly increase the reliability of electricity supply to the national economy, increase daily and annual electricity consumption schedules, improve the economic performance of power plants, and create conditions for the complete electrification of areas still experiencing a shortage of electricity. The UES on the territory of the former USSR includes numerous power plants that operate in parallel in a single mode, concentrating 4/5 of the total capacity of the country's power plants. The UES extends its influence over an area of \u200b\u200bover 10 million km2 with a population of about 220 million people. In total, there are about 100 regional power systems in the country. They form 11 interconnected energy systems. The largest of them are South, Central, Siberian, Ural.

IES of the North-West, Center, Volga region, South, North Caucasus and Ural are included in the UPS of the European part. They are connected by such high-voltage lines as Samara - Moscow (500 kW), Samara - Chelyabinsk, Volgograd - Moscow (500 kW), Volgograd - Donbass (800 kW), Moscow - St. Petersburg (750 kW), etc.

Today, in the context of the transition to a market, familiarization with the experience of coordinating the activities and competition of various owners in the electric power sector of Western countries can be useful for choosing the most rational principles for joint work of owners of electric power facilities operating as part of the Unified Energy System.

A coordinating body has been created - the CIS Electric Power Council. Principles of joint work of the united energy systems of the CIS have been developed and agreed upon.

The development of the electric power industry in modern conditions should take into account the following principles:

· To build environmentally friendly power plants and convert thermal power plants to a cleaner fuel - natural gas;

· Create CHPs for district heating of industries, agriculture and communal services, which ensures fuel economy and doubles the efficiency of power plants;

· Build power plants of small capacity, taking into account the needs for electricity in large regions;

· Combine various types of power plants into a single power system;

· To construct pumped storage stations on small rivers, especially in the regions of Russia with a severe energy deficit;

· To use unconventional types of fuel, wind, sun, sea tides, geothermal waters, etc. in obtaining electric energy.

The need to develop a new energy policy in Russia is determined by a number of objective factors:

· The collapse of the USSR and the emergence of the Russian Federation as a truly sovereign state;

· Fundamental changes in the socio-political structure, economic and geopolitical position of the country, the course adopted for its integration into the world economic system;

· A fundamental expansion of the rights of the subjects of the Federation - republics, territories, regions, etc .;

· A radical change in the relationship between government bodies and economically independent enterprises, the rapid growth of independent commercial structures;

· Deep crisis of the country's economy and energy, in overcoming which energy can play an important role;

· Reorientation of the fuel and energy complex towards the priority solution of social problems of society, increased requirements for environmental protection.

Unlike the previous energy programs, which were created within the framework of the planning and administrative system of management and directly determined the volumes of energy production and the resources allocated for this, the new energy policy has a completely different content.

The main instruments of the new energy policy should be:

· Bringing prices for energy resources in line with the convertibility of the ruble in accordance with world prices with gradual smoothing of price surges in the domestic market;

· Corporatization of enterprises of the fuel and energy complex with the attraction of funds from the population, foreign investors and domestic commercial structures;

· Support for independent producers of energy carriers, primarily focused on the use of local and renewable energy resources.

Legislative acts have been adopted for the energy complex, the main objectives of which are:

1. Preservation of the integrity of the electric power complex and the UES of Russia.

2. Organization of a competitive electricity market as a tool to stabilize energy prices and improve the efficiency of the electric power industry.

3. Expansion of opportunities for attracting investments for the development of the Unified Energy System of Russia and regional energy companies.

4. Enhancing the role of the subjects of the Federation (regions, territories, autonomies) in managing the development of the UES of the Russian Federation.

In the future, Russia should abandon the construction of new and large thermal and hydraulic stations, which require huge investments and create environmental stress. It is planned to build small and medium-sized thermal power plants and small nuclear power plants in the remote northern and eastern regions. In the Far East, it is planned to develop hydropower through the construction of a cascade of medium and small hydropower plants.

New CHPPs will be built on gas, and only in the Kansk-Achinsk Basin it is planned to build powerful condensing power plants.

An important aspect of expanding the energy market is the possibility of increasing exports of fuel and energy from Russia.

Russia's energy strategy is based on the following three main goals:

1. Curbing inflation through the presence of large reserves of energy resources, which should provide domestic and external financing of the country.

2. Ensuring a decent role for energy as a factor in the growth of labor productivity and improving the life of the population.

3. Reducing the technogenic load of the fuel and energy complex on the environment.

The highest priority of the energy strategy is to improve energy efficiency and save energy.

For the period of formation and development of market relations, a structural policy in the field of energy and fuel industry for the next 10-15 years has been developed. It provides:

· Increasing the efficiency of natural gas use and its share in domestic consumption and exports;

· Increase in deep processing and complex use of hydrocarbon raw materials;

· Improving the quality of coal products, stabilizing and increasing the volume of coal production (mainly by open-pit mining) as the development of environmentally acceptable technologies for its use;

· Overcoming the recession and moderate growth in oil production.

· Intensification of local energy resources of hydropower, peat, a significant increase in the use of renewable energy resources - solar, wind, geothermal energy, coal mine methane, biogas, etc .;

· Increasing the reliability of nuclear power plants. Development of extremely safe and economical new reactors, including those of low power.