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How is the Yenisey River used for hydroelectric power?

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Yenisey River The Ob and Yenisey river basins and their drainage networks.

The Yenisey River and its major tributary, the Angara, possess some of the greatest hydroelectric power potential of any river system in Russia, and this resource is among the most heavily exploited in the region.1

Since the 1950s, several major power stations have been constructed to harness this energy. On the upper and middle Yenisey, the Krasnoyarsk and Sayan (Sayano-Shushenskoye) stations were built, contributing to a combined total generating capacity for the Yenisey-Angara system that exceeds 25 million kilowatts. Specifically, the Sayano-Shushenskoye dam has an installed capacity of 6,400 megawatts, while the Krasnoyarsk dam has an installed capacity of 6,000 megawatts.12

These dams serve as critical infrastructure for industrial development in southern Siberia. To support navigation alongside power generation, a specialized elevator was constructed at the Krasnoyarsk Hydroelectric Station to lift ships along an inclined railroad, allowing vessels to bypass the dam and continue through traffic between the upper and lower waters of the river.1