Bratsk HPP is a 4,500 MW hydro power station in Irkutsk, Russia. It is operated by PJSC "IRKUTSKENERGO". Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 4.5 million homes (estimated). It ranks #6 of 678 Russia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1961, it is around 65 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 16.7% of Russia's electricity; the national grid averages 450 gCO₂/kWh (35.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1003674.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000603231; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 4,500 MW, Bratsk HPP is well above the median hydro plant in Russia (72 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Russia hydro capacity
- 9.8% of 45,810 MW across 105 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 37 of 83 dated hydro plants in Russia are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest hydro plants in Russia
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by PJSC "IRKUTSKENERGO". All plants by this company →
Climate zone & how it works
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a subarctic (boreal) climate (Köppen Dfc) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 56.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).
How it compares & nearby plants
The #2 largest hydro power plant of 105 in Russia by capacity.
Russia has 105 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 45,810 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Thermal Power Station 11 · Coal · 600 MW · Irkutsk
Location
Coordinates 56.2861, 101.7842 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Bratsk HPP?
Bratsk HPP is a 4,500 MW hydro power plant in Irkutsk, Russia, commissioned in 1961.
Who operates Bratsk HPP?
Bratsk HPP is operated by PJSC "IRKUTSKENERGO".