Sayano-Shushenskoe Reservoir

The Sayano-Shushenskoe Reservoir is a large impoundment on the Yenisei River in the Khakassia region of Russia, created by the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric dam and power station. The dam and plant were commissioned in the late 1970s to supply large-scale electric generation.

The reservoir shores and open water are primarily industrial and utility-oriented rather than developed for mass tourism, but local recreation such as boating and fishing occurs in some sectors. The installation is an important regional infrastructure feature with extensive access roads and service facilities.

Construction of the dam and power station took place during the Soviet period and the plant entered operation in 1978. A catastrophic failure of turbine units and associated equipment occurred in August 2009, causing major damage and a subsequent multi-year repair and refurbishment program.

The reservoir lies on the Yenisei River at the foot of the Sayan Mountains, adjacent to the town of Sayanogorsk in Khakassia and within the broader Krasnoyarsk economic area.

• Hydroelectric project: The reservoir was created by the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric project, one of Russia's largest hydroelectric facilities, commissioned in the late 1970s.
• 2009 accident: The dam site was the scene of a major accident in August 2009 that caused extensive damage to the power plant and loss of life, after which repair and phased restoration work followed.

What to See #

• Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam: The concrete-gravity Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam impounds the reservoir and supports the associated hydroelectric power station, located at the reservoir's downstream end.
• Sayanogorsk: The town of Sayanogorsk sits adjacent to the dam and reservoir and grew around the hydroelectric and associated industrial facilities.