A powerful dam and power plant's facilities cannot go unnoticed if you drive the bridge between Kaunas Reservoir and the Nemunas. You can see Kaunas Reservoir Riverside and Towers of Pažaislis on the one side and Nemunas river flowing well below. Walk down the Riverside to look over the dam. You can also visit the power plant, but you need to book a time and specify the number of visitors in advance.
The first stage of construction began in 1955. Five years later, it began producing electricity. In 2014, the hydroelectric power plant was named after Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, the President of the newly independent Lithuania.
This plant is the largest power plant in Lithuania using renewable resources. The cost of the power plant construction was recovered three years after completion. Despite the fact that its annual production currently meets 4% of the total energy consumed in Lithuania, it helps to save about 88 thousand tons of petroleum per year. Based on economic estimates, the design of this huge construction demanded to complete hundred thousand of various measurements. The construction of the power plant resulted in the development of Petrašiūnai region and industry. Kaunas Reservoir, the biggest artificial lake in Lithuania, was formed after building the dam in 1959. Notwithstanding forty-five settlements left on its bottom, the formation of Kaunas Reservoir received positive evaluation because of protecting Kaunas and its surroundings from annual floods, the establishment of a summer rest site for citizens, and a river port.
If you wish to visit the hydroelectric power plant, you must book a guided tour in advance. The guide will tell how the water current is transformed into energy. You will also see four turbines. Depending on the water level in the river, each turbine passes through about 160 cubic meters of water per second. Walking the tunnel which was built 25 m below the Reservoir bottom leaves the greatest impression to most visitors. Good news for nature lovers: fish can safely migrate through modern turbines. A special-purpose facility has been placed beside the dam to collect garbage flowing in the Nemunas.
The plant can be easily reached either by car (parking available), public transport, or a bicycle.
Reviews
There are no reviews. Be the first one to give a review!