▁d ikes ▁total ▁ 1 8 . 6   km ▁long ▁and ▁up ▁to ▁ 4 0 ▁m ▁high , ▁power ▁plant ▁house , ▁and ▁two ▁single - ch am ber ▁two - lane ▁lo cks ▁with ▁an ▁intermediate ▁p ond . ▁Inst alled ▁power ▁is ▁ 5 2 0 ▁M W , ▁average ▁annual ▁production ▁is ▁ 1 5 1 0 ▁G Wh . ▁Power ▁house ▁has ▁ 8 ▁generator ▁units ▁with ▁Kap lan ▁tur b ines , ▁each ▁ 6 5 ▁M W ▁at ▁ 1 7 ▁m ▁head . ▁The ▁dam ▁with ▁total ▁water front ▁length ▁of ▁ 1 3   km ▁forms ▁G ork y ▁Res er voir . ▁ ▁History ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁Although ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁medium - size ▁project , ▁e . g . ▁compared ▁to ▁Vol ga ▁H ydro elect ric ▁Station , ▁it ▁was ▁often ▁called ▁an ▁' inn ov ation ▁testing ▁range '. ▁It ▁also ▁was ▁the ▁USS R ' s ▁longest ▁dam . ▁ ▁More ▁than ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁site . ▁Const ruction ▁site ' s ▁infrastr ucture ▁has ▁been ▁built ▁along ▁with ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁station . ▁Many ▁indust ries ▁of ▁Z av ol zh ye ▁and ▁Gor od ets ▁o we ▁their ▁existence ▁to ▁the ▁station ' s ▁construction . ▁Z av ol zh ye ▁town ▁was ▁built ▁from ▁scratch . ▁ 8 , 5 0 0 ▁houses ▁and ▁ 7 0 0 ▁state