Construction of main structures of Bagaevsky Hydroelectric Complex will begin this year

Workers’ Camp 

To ensure navigation on the Don River, Stroytransgaz Group builds the Bagaevsky Hydroelectric Complex in the Rostov Region, which is an important transport infrastructure facility for the whole country. In 2022, large-scale preparatory work was carried out at the main phase of construction.

The sheet piling was arranged for the main pit for construction of the shipping lock chamber and the spillway dam. Development of the soil of the main pit is in full swing.

In 2022, construction of mooring and approach channels was stated that will ensure not only a convenient entrance for vessels, but their moorage while in wait for lockage. The guiding jetties represented by walls of mooring and approach channels are built for smooth entrance of vessels into the lock chamber.

The construction of the fish bypass and spawning complex is in progress at a high rate. It includes the Fish Bypass and Spawning Channel (FBSC) and six spawning areas for young and adult fish. The works to lower the level of underground water (water lowering) in the head control gate pit and in the channel path were performed at the FBSC site. The level of the head control gate pit is brought to the design elevation. The Fish Bypass and Spawning Channel is of special significance for developing fishery in the Don Region. The artificial spawning area will allow increasing the fish growing period, and the channel capacity will exceed the modern values by 2.5–3 times.

FBSC head control gate

Fish Bypass and Spawning Channel (FBSC) 

Construction of the worker’s camp with a complete closed infrastructure for the necessary work and accommodation of employees is close to its completion. At the end of 2022, more than 800 people were involved in the construction of the Bagaevsky hydroelectric complex. By February 2023, the number of employees will increase by 27%. Dormitories, a health centre and a recreation room were built for shift workers within the territory. In order to optimize the work process, headquarters and office buildings, as well as a canteen, a foreman room and other sanitary facilities are located at the construction site.

“In 2023, the planned works at the facility include dredging at the downstream and upstream areas of the facility, excavation of the main pit and beginning of the construction of main structures at the hydroelectric complex site. These are a shipping lock and a spillway dam with a fish gate. Construction of production, service and auxiliary facilities, as well as of a camp for operators, will begin,” said Levani Khumarashvili, Stroytransgaz Director of Construction Management at the Bagaevsky Hydroelectric Complex. He also noted that in 2023, work will continue on construction of spawning grounds, the head control gate and the channel of the fish bypass and spawning complex and the mooring and approach channels. Construction of bank protection dams will begin.

“In 2023, we continue to work on the construction of the Bagaevsky hydroelectric complex, a federal project of strategic importance. The main task is to eliminate the “bottleneck” on the Don River and ensure a guaranteed water depth of at least 4 meters within the 85 km long section. After the project is implemented, it is planned that the throughput capacity of the section will increase from 12 to 19 million tons of cargo,” said Igor Gurov, Director General of Rostransmodernizatsiya -– the state customer of the facility construction. He also added that construction of the hydraulic facility is a priority for recovery of the Tsimlyanskoye water reservoir, as it will save water resources of the man-made sea in the amount of about 5 billion cubic meters.

Project background:
The hydroelectric complex under construction will be composed of a shipping lock with upper and lower approach channels, a spillway and earth fill dam, a meandering fish bypass and spawning channel and a fish passage lock, industrial and technical facilities, and a camp for operating personnel. To ensure navigation safety, channel-regulating dams will be constructed, as well as shore protection dams that will prevent the development of bank erosion processes (washout and collapse), protect from the impact of ship waves and reduce the negative impact of waters. In order to ensure guaranteed waterway dimensions (depth – 4 m, width – 80 m, bending radius – 500 m) in the section from the Kochetovsky Hydroelectric Complex site at km 3004.5 of the waterway of the Integrated Deep Water System (IDWS) to the Bagaevsky Hydroelectric Complex site at km 3089 of the IDWS waterway, dredging and river cut-off are envisaged.