More than 40% of hydropower plants are concentrated in the east of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Irtysh River. The first of Irtysh cascades- Ust-Kamenogorskaya Hydropower Plant is also known by the fact that for some time it was headed by Georgy Malenkov, the former Chairman of Soviet Union Council of Ministers.
Design and construction of the power plant began in 1939, but due to World War II first turbine was put into operation only in December 1952. Difficult post-war years lead to the fact that the power plant reached its design capacity only in 1959; the remaining three turbines were introduced in June 1953, December 1953 and November 1959, respectively.
Currently, the plant is located in the northeast suburb of Ust-Kamenogorsk, has four turbines (82,8 MW) with installed capacity of 331,2 MW.
The composition of hydropower facilities:
- Concrete spillway dam with crest length 92 m, has four spillway openings;
- Non-overflow concrete dam 300 m long;
- Appurtenant structure 129 m long;
- Single-chamber shipping lock.
The plant's installed capacity is 331,2 MW, but because of incomplete removal of cofferdam and design tail water level changed by 1,5 meters, available capacity is 315 MW.
Long-term annual average generation of the plant is 1 580 mln. kWh, and at low water year - 1200 mln. kWh.