Hotline of power engineering specialists:
Rosseti's forces have completely restored the world’s only hyperboloid multisectional transmission line pole, made in the form of a load-bearing mesh shell. The tower was designed by the outstanding Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov and built in the late 1920s as part of the GOELRO plan. The opening ceremony was attended by Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin, Director General of Rosseti Pavel Livinskiy, Head of Rosseti Centre and Rosseti Centre and Volga Region Igor Makovskiy, President of the Foundation for the Preservation and Development of Science, Culture and Art “Shukhov Tower” Vladimir Shukhov (great-grandson of the creator of the pole V.G. Shukhov).
The reconstruction of the 128-metre structure was carried out in several stages. First, the lost fragments of the tower’s base were recreated, then the Oka coastline was fortified and a promenade was built. At the final stage, specialists from Rosseti Centre and Volga Region carried out anti-corrosion treatment of the metal structures and mounted dynamic lighting of the tower - about 23 thousand LEDs. The nearby territory was also landscaped.
“We are grateful to the Rosseti company for the reconstruction of the unique object. Even before that it was one of the popular attractions of the Nizhny Novgorod region, and I am sure that after the reconstruction this place will attract even more attention, including the world community. This is a unique monument of the Russian architectural avant-garde, recommended for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List,” said Gleb Nikitin.
“The Shukhov Tower on the Oka River is one of the objects of the GOELRO plan, the centenary of which we are celebrating in 2020. However, the design still looks impressive today. Moreover, like other works of the outstanding engineer Vladimir Shukhov, it is a source of inspiration for contemporary architects. This is a clear illustration of the whole ideology of the GOELRO plan - it included projects that would shape trends for decades to come. We must be equal to this experience and continue the traditions of the Russian engineering school,” noted Pavel Livinskiy.
The pole was originally part of the complex of a high-voltage special crossing over the river, but later, due to a change in the energy transit route, it was no longer used for its intended purpose. On 3 December 2014, by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Shukhov Tower on the Oka River was classified as a cultural heritage site of federal significance.