The Saratov hydroelectric power plant has increased its installed capacity to 1,493 megawatts following the modernization of its 16th generating unit. The 6-megawatt increase is part of a long-term technical overhaul managed by the power company RusHydro.
The facility, located on the Volga River, serves as the seventh stage of the Volga-Kama cascade and is one of Russia’s ten largest hydropower sites. The upgrade involved the installation of adjustable-blade turbines with a runner diameter of 10.3 meters. These components are currently the largest of their class in operation in the country.
This latest unit modernization follows a capacity boost completed in January. To date, 22 of the plant’s 24 units have been updated, representing more than 92 percent of the station’s generating equipment. The cumulative effect of these technical improvements has added 133 MW to the facility’s total output since the program began.
RusHydro expects to complete the modernization of all units by 2027. Upon final completion, the plant’s installed capacity is projected to reach 1,499 MW – a 10 percent increase over its original design capacity. The installation was performed by Gidroremont-VKK with technical oversight from the engineering company Tyazhmash.
