Ust-Ilimsk
Encyclopedia
Ust-Ilimsk is a town in Irkutsk Oblast
, Russia
, located on the Angara River
. Population: 53,000 (1977).
(fortress) was built on the present site of the town in the 17th century; however, the modern town was not founded until 1966, during the construction of the Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station
(3840MW), which backs up both the Angara and the Ilim River
s, and, incidentally, flooded the old town of Ilimsk
, which was located further up the Ilim.
The town's name means at the mouth of the Ilim in Russian
. Town status was granted to it in 1973; the dam was completed in 1980.
A 214 kilometres (133 mi) branch railway connects Ust-Ilimsk to Khrebetovka on the Baikal Amur Mainline. The town is also connected by road
to Bratsk
.
Ust-Ilimsk has a tram
line, constructed by a local timber company to connect the city center with a nearby sawmill. Construction of the tramway began in 1982, with its opening in 1985. The line was later extended to a total length of 18 kilometres (11.2 mi). Traffic is coordinated to coincide with shift change times at the mill, as well as hourly runs outside these times. There are plans to extend the line to a new mill to the north of the town, as well as to the city railway station.
The Ust-Ilimsk Airport
was closed in 2001.
Irkutsk Oblast
Irkutsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in southeastern Siberia in the basins of Angara River, Lena, and Nizhnyaya Tunguska Rivers. The administrative center is the city of Irkutsk. Population: -History:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located on the Angara River
Angara River
The Angara River is a long river in Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai, south-east Siberia, Russia. It is the only river flowing out of Lake Baikal, and is the headwater tributary of the Yenisei River....
. Population: 53,000 (1977).
History
An ostrogOstrog (fortress)
Ostrog was a Russian term for a small fort, typically wooden and often non-permanently manned. Ostrogs were encircled by 4-6 metres high palisade walls made from sharpened trunks. The name derives from the Russian word строгать , "to shave the wood". Ostrogs were smaller and exclusively military...
(fortress) was built on the present site of the town in the 17th century; however, the modern town was not founded until 1966, during the construction of the Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station
Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station
The Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station is a concrete gravity dam on the Angara River and adjacent hydroelectric power station. It is located near Ust-Ilimsk, Irkutsk Oblast in Russia and is the third and last dam on the Angara cascades...
(3840MW), which backs up both the Angara and the Ilim River
Ilim River
Ilim River is a river in Irkutsk Oblast in Russia, a right tributary of the Angara River. It flows north between and parallel to the Angara and Lena Rivers, and then swings west to join the Angara 40km south of Ust-Ilimsk....
s, and, incidentally, flooded the old town of Ilimsk
Ilimsk
Ilimsk was a small town in Siberia, within today's Irkutsk Oblast of Russia. The town was flooded by the Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir in the mid-1970s....
, which was located further up the Ilim.
The town's name means at the mouth of the Ilim in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. Town status was granted to it in 1973; the dam was completed in 1980.
Economy and infrastructure
Alongside the hydroelectric plant, a thermal power plant, sawmills and industries such as food production are employers in the town.A 214 kilometres (133 mi) branch railway connects Ust-Ilimsk to Khrebetovka on the Baikal Amur Mainline. The town is also connected by road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
to Bratsk
Bratsk
Bratsk is a city in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Angara River near the vast Bratsk Reservoir. Population: Although the name sounds like the Russian word for 'brother' , it actually comes from 'bratskiye lyudi', an old name for the Buryats.-History:The first Europeans in the area arrived...
.
Ust-Ilimsk has a tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line, constructed by a local timber company to connect the city center with a nearby sawmill. Construction of the tramway began in 1982, with its opening in 1985. The line was later extended to a total length of 18 kilometres (11.2 mi). Traffic is coordinated to coincide with shift change times at the mill, as well as hourly runs outside these times. There are plans to extend the line to a new mill to the north of the town, as well as to the city railway station.
The Ust-Ilimsk Airport
Ust-Ilimsk Airport
Ust-Ilimsk Airport is a large airport in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia located 17 km northwest of Ust-Ilimsk. It is a major regional facility handling all sizes of airliners. It is served by a very large concrete runway with 500 x 200 m tarmac. The airport was closed in 2001....
was closed in 2001.