The Pļaviņas Hydroelectric Power Station has the largest

hydroelectric power plant Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

in the

Baltics The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ...

and one of the biggest in the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

. It is located in

Aizkraukle Aizkraukle (german: Ascheraden) is a town in Vidzeme region in Latvia, the administrative centre of Aizkraukle Municipality on the right bank of the Daugava River. The population in 2020 was 7,018. History In the second half of the 14th century ...

on the

Daugava River , be, Заходняя Дзвіна (), liv, Vēna, et, Väina, german: Düna , image = Fluss-lv-Düna.png , image_caption = The drainage basin of the Daugava , source1_location = Valdai Hills, Russia , mouth_location = Gulf of Riga, Baltic Se ...

. It has ten individual

water turbine A water turbine is a rotary machine that converts kinetic energy and potential energy of water into mechanical work. Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now, t ...

s with an installed total capacity of 894 MW. The construction aroused an unusual wave of protest in 1958. Most Latvians opposed the flooding of historical sites and a particularly scenic gorge with rare plants and natural features, such as the Staburags. The construction of the dam was endorsed in 1959, however, after the purge of relatively liberal and nationally oriented leaders under

Eduards Berklavs Eduards Berklavs (June 15, 1914 – November 25, 2004) was a Soviet and Latvian politician. Eduards Berklavs was born in Kurmāle Parish, today part of the Kuldīga Municipality. During his youth, he was active in labour and communist organiza ...

and their replacement by Moscow-oriented, ideologically conservative cadres led by Arvīds Pelše. The plant was put into full operation in 1968. In 1991–2001, six additional turbines were added to the original four, thus increasing the capacity to 868.5MW. Reconstruction and overhaul of the units between 2007 and 2010 increased both the efficiency of the plant and its power output. The complex is operated by

Latvenergo Latvenergo is a state-owned electric utility company in Latvia. Latvenergo Group provides energy supply services in the Baltics. The Group comprises the parent company Latvenergo AS, with decisive influence, and five subsidiaries. Latvenergo ...

References

External links

Hydroelectric power stations in Latvia Hydroelectric power stations built in the Soviet Union Dams in Latvia Dams completed in 1965 Aizkraukle {{hydroelectric-power-plant-stub