Krasnoyarsk Dam: Siberia's Yenisei Powerhouse

**Krasnoyarsk Dam** on the Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Siberia, is one of the world's largest hydroelectric power stations, with an installed capacity of **6,000 MW**. Completed in **1972**, the **124-meter** concrete gravity dam was the second mega-dam built on the Yenisei after the Sayano-Shushenskaya (completed later in 1978), and it remains one of Russia's most important electricity sources.

Introduction

The dam is located just 40 kilometers upstream of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia's third-largest city with a population of over one million. This proximity has made the dam's environmental effects — particularly its prevention of ice formation on the river through the city — a daily reality for Krasnoyarsk's residents, who live in a permanent winter fog caused by the temperature difference between the unfrozen river and the frigid Siberian air.

Engineering & Structure

• Type: Concrete gravity dam
• Height: 124 meters
• Crest Length: 1,065 meters
• Turbines: 12 × 500 MW Francis turbines

Krasnoyarsk Dam's concrete gravity structure stretches 1,065 meters across the Yenisei valley and rises 124 meters from its foundation. The dam contains approximately 5.7 million cubic meters of concrete. Its 12 Francis turbines, each rated at 500 MW, are among the most powerful individual generating units in Russia, housed in a powerhouse integrated into the dam structure.

The dam includes a unique ship lift — the only one in Russia — designed to raise vessels over the dam wall. The lift carries ships weighing up to 1,500 tonnes in a water-filled chamber that travels on inclined rails, allowing navigation between the reservoir and the river downstream. However, the ship lift has experienced operational problems and is not in continuous use.

Geographic Setting

• River: Yenisei River
• Location: Divnogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
• Coordinates: 55.95°N, 92.30°E
• Reservoir Area: 2,000 km²

The Yenisei at the dam site flows through a broad valley in the foothills of the Eastern Sayan Mountains, approximately 40 kilometers upstream of Krasnoyarsk city. The reservoir extends 388 kilometers upstream, flooding forested valleys and creating a large artificial lake with a surface area of 2,000 square kilometers. The surrounding landscape is southern Siberian taiga — dense forests of Siberian pine, larch, and birch covering gently rolling terrain.

Krasnoyarsk, the major city immediately downstream, was founded in 1628 as a frontier fortress and has grown into an industrial and cultural center. The dam's proximity to this large population center magnifies both its economic benefits and its environmental impacts, making it one of the most urban-adjacent mega-dams in the world.

Hydroelectric Power

• Installed Capacity: 6,000 MW
• Annual Output: ~18.4 TWh
• Grid: Central Siberian interconnected system
• Key Consumer: Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelter

Krasnoyarsk Dam generates approximately 18.4 terawatt-hours per year, much of it consumed by the Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelter (KrAZ), one of the largest aluminium plants in the world. The dam's electricity also powers Krasnoyarsk city, industrial facilities, and the Trans-Siberian Railway corridor. The combination of cheap hydroelectric power and access to the Trans-Siberian railway made Krasnoyarsk a major industrial center.

The dam works in tandem with the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam upstream, which regulates the Yenisei's flow before it reaches Krasnoyarsk. Together, the two stations form one of the most productive hydroelectric pairs in the world, with a combined capacity of over 12,000 MW.

Environmental & Social Impact

• Unfrozen River: Yenisei does not freeze through Krasnoyarsk (300+ km)
• Winter Fog: Persistent fog afflicts Krasnoyarsk city
• Fisheries: Yenisei sturgeon and other species severely affected

The dam's most visible environmental impact is on the climate of Krasnoyarsk city. Water released from the dam's depths is approximately 5-7°C year-round, keeping the Yenisei unfrozen through the city even when air temperatures reach minus 40°C. The temperature contrast between the warm river and frigid air creates a persistent fog bank over the river and surrounding neighborhoods, reducing winter sunlight and raising humidity in a city already struggling with harsh Siberian winters.

The dam eliminated the Yenisei's natural ice regime through Krasnoyarsk, affecting riverside ecology, traditional winter river-crossing routes, and the aesthetic character of the city. The Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii), once abundant in the Yenisei, has declined dramatically due to the dam's blockage of migration routes and alteration of the river's thermal and sediment regime.

Key Facts

• Krasnoyarsk Dam generates 6,000 MW, among the world's largest hydroelectric stations.
• The dam keeps the Yenisei unfrozen for over 300 km through Siberian winter.
• Persistent winter fog from the unfrozen river is a chronic issue for Krasnoyarsk city.
• The dam includes Russia's only ship lift for navigation past a dam.
• Annual output of 18.4 TWh powers major aluminium smelting operations.

Fun Facts

• Krasnoyarsk residents have lobbied for decades to address the winter fog caused by the dam, but no practical solution exists short of shutting down the facility.
• The dam's ship lift was modeled after European designs but has operated intermittently, making the Yenisei effectively un-navigable for large vessels at this point.
• A 10-ruble banknote from Russia features Krasnoyarsk Dam on its reverse side, making it one of the few dams depicted on a national currency.

Final Thoughts

Krasnoyarsk Dam demonstrates the complex relationship between mega-hydroelectric infrastructure and nearby urban populations. Its massive power output is indispensable to Siberia's economy, but the permanent alteration of the Yenisei's winter character — eliminating ice, creating fog, and changing the river's ecology — has made the dam a daily environmental reality for over a million Krasnoyarsk residents.