Energy System of Dalenergo in the Prewar Years (1937–1941): Conditions and Features of Formation

Abstract

Introduction. The study analyzes the historical aspects of the formation of the energy system of Dalenergo in the prewar years, identifies the prerequisites, conditions and features of this process. Materials and Methods. The study is based on unpublished archival records, including declassified documents found in federal and regional archives. The study used traditional historical methods and historical and economic (systemic, statistical, quantitative). Results. The development of the electrical economy in the USSR in the 1930s characterized by the formation of central and regional energy systems. Dalenergo, the easternmost energy system in the USSR, was formed by the order of Glavenergo NKTP dated January 5, 1937, when construction work on the electrical networks and power plants that became part of it had not yet been completed. As a result, certain difficulties and problems arose during the creation of the energy system. Discussion and Conclusion. The formation of the energy system of Dalenergo was determined by the remoteness and isolation of the Far East region from the industrialized regions of the country, the limited financial, material, technical and time resources, the incomplete construction of power plants and transmission lines, and the unresolved personnel problems. During the creation of the energy system, managerial errors and miscalculations were made. The energy system of Dalenergo differed from other systems of the USSR in its modest production capacities, was geographically limited only by the territory of the Amur Bay and poorly met the tasks of the socio-economic development of the Far East region.