DEVELOPMENTS IN CZECHOSLOVAK POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION, 24 JANUARY-3 SEPTEMBER 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700170403-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 2, 2011
• Sequence Number: 403
• Publication Date: April 29, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
HOW
PUBLISHED
CLASSIFICATION COrIFIDEIITIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
Czechoslovakia
Economic - Power, plant construction
Transportation - Water
Daily newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Prague, Bratislava
DATE
PUBLISHED 24 Jan-3 Sep ? `)53
LANGUAGE Czech, Slovak
w .iT10 ITr 1[1, fifxix Tx[+1.+~+4 G( i fir, f[Cr~C+f'Tr'
001. ? ........
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....~.~... ~......_?-[r.r f ?. u+.ul_er~l[0+rl.f Or. 11
CD NO.
DATE OF
INFORMAtIO
DATE DIST. &?1 Apr 1954
NO. OF PAGES /
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
DEVELOPbMMS III CZECHOSLOVAK POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTIOII
2 J,INUARY_3 SEPTEMBER 1y53
[The following report describes the progress of construction
on seven of the most publicized power projects currently being built
in Czechoslovakia, as reported in the Czechoslovak press between
January and September 1953. Related projects, such as the building
of roads, bridges, and new housing areas, are included in this
report; in addition, resolutions, fulfillment of plans, and man-
power and supply problems are included.
The first part of the report deals with three of the 13 hydro-
electric power projects (the Orlik, Slapy, and Lipno project) to be
built on the Vltava River. The second part deals with projects
elsewhere in Czechoslovakia, namely, Vir, Rcdonin, Cesky Tesin, and
Zermanice.
50X1-HUM
Numbers in parentheses refer to appended sources.j
VLTAVA RIVER POWER PROJECTS
Thirteen new hydroelectric power plants are being planned for construction
on the Vltava River. When completed, they are expected to produce 1,750,000,000
kilowatt-hours per year. This total can be compared to that of 1937, when the
total power production in Czechoslovakia was about 4 billion kilowatt-hours.(l)
[The following are part of the 13 projects.)
50X1-HUM
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Orlik Dam
Research has been completed on the preliminary stages of preparing the
Orlik dam construction site, including the building of roads, providing for
power, installing a water-supply system, constructing a cement mixer, pre-
paring a quarry and sand pit, and installing the necessary cables.
Gravel and sand for the concrete was found 3 kilometers from the proposed
site, and a good stone quarry was found in the Lisnicky valley, about 300
meters above the old Pltnicek Inn.
Passageways ove,? 30 meters long were cut into the interior of the cliff.
Many experimental bori,,as, some of which were about 70 to 100 meters deep,
were made. Core drilling was used most frequently to study rock composition.
Some of the holes were drilled to the bottom of the river with the aid of a
70-meter slanted probe. All of the work was done under difficult conditions
without the aid of electricity; the heavy probing equipment was transported
on wooden skids along steep terrain, and the water was obtained by primitive
pumps up to 70 meters in height.(2)
Slapy Dam
The Slapy power plant will be located inside the dam wall and the water
will pour through special slipways. Sweden is the only country with a similar
type of dam, although it is much smaller than the Slapy.(3)
Water contained by the dam will be 50 meters high and will create a lake
over 50 kilometers long (extending to Kamyk)_'arid -will be one kilometer wide
in many places.(1)
Work on the Slapy dam was begun in May 1949, with the building of a new
highway. Hundreds of young brigade workers from Prague Kraj came to assist
in the work each month; they also built barracks for the construction workers,
a mess hall, infirmary, and living quarters for power plant employees. At
the same time, construction of a semicircular tunnel was begun. In October
1949 both sides of the 350-meter tunnel were joined in the heart of the cliff;
waters from the Vltava River were diverted through this space so that they
would not impede construction of the dam. (Now that the construction has
been completed, the river is again being diverted to its original bed.) A
cable railway was also built at this time. The space between both exits of
the tunnel was filled and the water pumped out.
It was necessary to remove 135,000 meters of rock from the bottom of the
Vltava River. Gravel from the river bottom was found to be of such poor
quality that it could not be used for mixing concrete, and nothing better
could be found in the vicinity. Therefore, gravel and sand had to be transported
from a large gravel pit in Teletin. Another cableway was constructed from
Teletin to the dam to assure faster transport.
A large concrete-mixing center was constructed in nearby Trebenice. The
center has cables strung from four towers. One cable leads from the Luka pod
Mednikem railroad station, from which cement is transported, the second from
the Teletin gravel pits, and the other two lead to the building site.
Construction of the Slapy dam requires that the old Zvirotice Obec be
inundated and a new Zvirotice be built on the shore of the resulting lake.
In July 1951 the first brigade workers began preparatory work for the new
construction project. As a result of a request from the cooperatives that
the livestock buildings be constructed as soon as possible, a barn for 96
milch cows and a sty for 100 hogs were constructed by the end of 1951. Then
28 new houses were built around the village common; these will be ready for
occupancy by the livestock farmers by April 1953.
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foundations were built. Workers in~ithat, e Blansko n EngineerringaPlant wcompleted
the Kaplan turbines, the largest and highest in output of their kind in
Czechoslovakia. The transportation of these to the dam site turned out to
be a major undertaking. The massive turbine parts had to be placed on special
undercarriages pulled by tractors. The SNB (Sbor Narodni Bezpecnost, National
Security Corps)hadtoove some of the power lines along the highway and close
several sections of the highway from regular traffic until the transportation
was completed. Within 3 days the Blansko workers had installed all the
equipment and had finished mounting the turbines.(3)
On 1 May 1953 t- left part of the power plant was concreted and pre-
parations were made for installation of the first turbine. A highway was
built to the power plant and another on the right bank of the river.
On 6 May 1953 the builders poured 1,203 cubic meters of concrete, which
was the highest day's output during the entire construction. During the first
week of May, 5,690 cubic meters of concrete were poured, which was a record
week's production.(4)
Since the beginning of 1953, when a change in management hastened the
tempo of construction, 73,800 cubic meters of concrete have been poured for
the Slapy dam; 140,000 cubic meters still have to be poured before it is
completed.(5)
[Source 6 (26 June 1953) reported the following: that 90,000 cubic meters
of concrete had been poured for the Slapy dam, that workers were laying the
foundation for both sides of the dam, and that work had begun on closing the
tunnel.]
The'goal for September 1953 is to prepare the central part of the power
plant for installation of the second turbine.(4) [Source 6 (26 June 1953)
states, however, that preparations for both the second and third turbines are
expected to be completed about 1 August and 1 September 1953, and that the
first turbine is to be installed by 1 May 1954.]
The new dam wi__ help cooperative farmers raise their average production
per hectare. The present struggle with dry soil will be ended after creation
of the lake, when the farmers will be able to water their lands by means of
sprinklers (canals cannot be used on the hilly land) and electric pumps will
furnish water wherever it is needed.(3)
Two new bridges are being constructed as part of the Slapy power project.
The first is in Zivohoste; the two main pillars of this bridge are expected
to be'completed by the time the Slapy power plant is put in operation in
early 1954. The foundations for the two pillars, which are numbered three
and four,-rest on the bottom of the Vltava River. Pillars one, two, five,
and six will be based on the two banks of the Vltava. The bridge will have
a large span made of prefabricated (predpjaty) concrete, and it will be 67
meters above the-present level of the Vltava. Construction is one month
behind schedule, and the party organization is working hard to combat [labor]
fluctuation on this project. The second proposed bridge, in nearby Cholin,
will be 40 meters high. The bridges will furnish long-needed communication
between Zivohoste, Cholin, and Prague.(7)
Lipno Dam
The Lipno dam will be 250 meters wide [long?] and will contain 260 million
square meters of water; the resulting lake will be 42 kilometers long and 16
kilometers wide in some places.(8)
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he Vir dam aboutT40 kilometepsroject
Brno. The Vir
darn Obc, will contain e 56 a million cubickres,
meters of water and will create a lake 12 kilometers long. The body of the
dam will comprise 464,000 cubic meters of concrete.
It was resolved to make enough progress with the concrete work in 1953 to
begin filling the lake with water in the fall. The entire project Is scheduled
for completion by 1955, but because or the acute shortage of power an attempt
will be made to put the power plant in operation by the spring of 1954- The
hydroelectric power plant will have a comparatively low output; its main-function
will be to furnish extra power in times of peak power consumption.
During the winter, the builders are concentrating on the construction of
transportation facilities, such as cable railways for transporting cement and
sand from the station in Bystrice to the work site, 8 kilometers away. They
are also constructing a cableway, 80 meters above the valley, to transport
materials to the work site. A second concrete mixer is also being installed.
The construction of a road to Policka, CO meters above the dam, and a winding
bridge below the dam are also contemplated.
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(Source 9 reported that the proposed dam would he -5 cetera high and
would result in a lake 40 kilcmeters long and 10 kilcmeters wide in some
places.)
Construction of the dam is expected to, change the entire way of life in
southern Bohemia. Up to the present, Bohemia has received its power from
the Most coal fields, 300 kilcmeters to the north. Because of the distance,
about 16 percent of the Power was lost in transit. The arrangement was satis-
factory before the war when consumption of electricity was small, but it is
no longer satisfactory, when every household has electrical equipment, new
factories have been built in Ceske Budejovice, and the JZDs and state farms
are using electricit..:sore.wluely. 'inc Lipno dam will deliver power both to
Prague Kral and to the north. Within 3 years Ceske Budefovice Kraj will
install as many power transmission lines as were installed during the whole
period of the first republic. When the dam and power plant are completed,
consumption of electricity in Ceske Budejovice Kraj will be nine times greater
than in 1937. The dam will assist in the industrialization of Bohemia and the
electrification of agriculture. It will also help to improve soil and climatic
conditions. Bohemia has always been poor in ground water; the Lipno lake will
assure a continuous supply of ground water to moisten the soil. In addition,
the lake will counteract the dryness of the air.(C)
Underground and under'wuter work on the Lipno in progressing satis-
factorily. The pressure pits (tlacne sachty) are already 27 meters deep and
550 meters of the 3,500-meter-long tunnel have already been dug.(9) The tunnel
is being built at Certova stena in Vyssi Brod to redivert the Vltava River to
its old bed.(8)
An important part of the Lipno project is the construction of a housing
area at Vyssi Brod. Two hundred houses have been built in the Lipno area and
120 others in a housing area at Vyssi Brod. A water-supply system, electricity,
water-treatment stations, and a central heating system have been net up. The
houses face the southwest to insure sufficient light. So far, over 9,500
square meters of housing area have been constructed. Work is also being completed
on a hotel, part of which is already occupied.(10)
50X1-HUM
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Eventually, 111 or Korcut1., :e Oleo ara i,:;rt Of Ch..! .bia Otec oil1 , '
to be mcved.(ll) rave,
Hodonin Thermal Pcwer Plant
The thermal power plant in Hodonin, which will use lignite from nearby
deposits as fuel, is the most important new construction project In southern
Moravia. Together with the on fi.ela it w:ll make Hodonin a vital power and
transportation center. This will be ; :-rder.cuticr? power plant.. (The er tu'. t.
steam is passed into ccoiing towers, and the ret.ultinF cooled water can be
used again. Condensation-t,.1 p
';re
that is, plant, 15 to 20 percent efficient,
, they uae c fifth of the p?tertini eneriy in the fuel. In every 100
kilograms of fuel, _, q~ ,
.-5 ki_ograr,?n are lost in the for.- of snake, radiation
etc.) According to the
cient. Hcdrar. ;,owe- plant 111 be 32 Percent e.*fir
Thus far 90 carload;
steel, l,'00 of steel p111ni;:3, war 2?r) :r,rloads a. r'_nfc;rcL~
carloads of cement, and million have been used in ccn,tructirg the mnlnbuildn ;,; 315 (for
of iumler and
a great deal of slag, stone, an.' sand have been n '~. ^ ..^cr the cons rote work.
Workers on the project, wh-
e~ daily ,.. _ -e-, , 1 cone ""m the Energosto Pru:.t,..., sed
~, 1;~ _ Zngstav,
enterprisproduetivity? 6?_stTof the., F'edr~e? ?.;p cranction ind I:err:;;F.
ieiFe.; run not. only fulfilled, but surpassed.
By 1 October 1953 half of the pi:;nt is supposed to go into operation, that
is, two boilers and a whole aggregate roust be mounted and tested by that time.
However, the achievement this goal is hampered particularly by shortcomings
on the part of the delivery enterprise;. In some cases these shortcomings are
the direct result of a particular type of [misplaced or overemphasized] enter-
prise loyalty. One example is the Zavod viteznihu unora (Victorious February
Enterprise) in Hradec Kralove, which furnishes boiler tubes to the Rodents
power project. Frcm its point of view, this enterprise finds it convenient
to deliver tubes fax all fo?.rr boilers simultaneously. From the point of view
of the constructors, it would he convenient to receive the tubes for the
first two boilers as soon so possible and the tubes for the latter two boilers
at some later date. Similar situations have arisen in regard to deliveries
by the CKD-Dukla (Ceskoslovenska Kolben Danek-Dukla) and the Sm.M. Kirova
Levice enterprises (12)
The following installations are no:: being node at the Hodonin thermal
power plant: a railway for the transportation of lignite, coal-handling and
coal-crushing equipment, water-supply equipment (installation of which has
almost been completed) and water-purification equipment, and power control
equipment.
The first turbine was installed in one tenth of the time originally planned.(13)
Cesky Tesin
Construction of a dam, one kilometer long and over 100 meters wide, has
begun in Cesky Tesin, on the Hrabinka River. Most of the work should be
completed in 1953, and operations are expected to begin in 1954.
The Mistni Narodni Vybor (Local Rational Committee) in Tesin plans to
make the surrounding regions into a park and recreational center.
The inhabitants of Tesin have already devoted over 3,000 brigade hours
to this construction project.(lir)
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Eventually :all of Koreuttvsce Otec and P~,rt of Chid^bin CL, Will have
to be mcved.(llf ee
Hodonin Thermal power Plant
The thermal power plant In Hclsr: n, which will use lignite from nearby Noravla. Together is the most important new construction project in southern
with the oil
transportation center. Taira _111 fitoeblsa i:ctn,ie wir:rllat caion poke Ho-dwernipa alantvital(Th power and
.
steam Is passed into ecoling tower e exhaust
s and the resulting used again. Condenr.at cooled water can b-
icn-tyi . power punts are 15 to 20 er,-eat e
that is, they use rr.? fIfth of the nrte e In every,
kilograms of fuel, 'n, ? r t n?.inl e,:_ri;y in the fuel. In every 100
. 5 kilograms are lost in the fora: of smoke, radiation,
etc.) According to .;;' I: sto the
cient. Hcdc,ir. power plant will be ?? percent ofrd-
Thus far 90 carlc?ods of ,tec?i :tin
steel, 1,'AO carloads of p Ca: ever ) rloads of r??infack) K
cemera, and 3 million brier.: (for the smotestack)
have been used in ec;nstructi,:g the I.."' in building; 315 carloads of iu.ler and
a great deal of slag, stone
an., sand have been used for the cenrrete work.
Workers on the project, .'.no come from the Enereostav, Prumstrzv, and Ingstav,
enterprises, daily make new ,
p-"dg^s ti, ci up t?vduciis
productivity. Mo=t ,f s F n ,ad tnaurpas
. edge.; ?. ? r:c' only fulfilled, but surpassed.
By 1 October 1953 half of the pint it, supposed to go into operation, that
is, two boilers and a whole ae6re;at< musttr mounted and
However, the achievement )f this Coal is hampered particularly nbybshortcomings
on the part of the delivery enterprises. In some cases these shortcomings are
the direct result of a particular type of [misplaced or overemphasized] enter-
prise loyalty. One example is the Z'ivod vitezniho unora (Victorious February
Enterprise) in Hradec Kralove, which furnishes boiler tubes to the Hodonin
power project. Frem its point, of view, this enterprise finds it convenient
to deliver tubes for all :'our boiler:: simult.aueuusly Fran the pr4nt of view
of the constructors, it would be r.-, convenient to receive the tub
first two boilers, as es for the
soon a:: possilQ and the tubes for the latter two boilers
at some later date. Similar situations have arisen In regard to deliveries
by the CKD-Dukla (Ceckoslovenska Kolhen Drtaek_Dukl,) and the Sa.M. Kirova
Levice ent.erprise3.(12)
The following installations are now being made at the Hodonin thermal
power plant: a railway for the transportation of lignite, coal-handling and
coal-crushing equipment, water-supply equipment (installation of which has
almost been completed) and water-purification equipment, and power control
equipment.
The first turbine was installed in one tenth of the time originally planned.(13)
Cesky Tesin
Construction of a dam, one kilometer long and over 100 meters wide, has
begun in Cesky Tesin, on the Hrabinka River. Most of the work should be
completed in 1953, and operations are expected to begin in 1954.
The Mistni Narodni Vybor (Local National Committee) in Tesin plans to
make the surrounding regions into a park and recreational center.
The inhabitants of Tesin have already devoted over 3,000 brigade hours
to this construction project. (Ili)
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A new than is being, bui1t en L
--Ml s Kra, . Pre arrtor u:. ;
,nn finished. In 1952 the stone `l., began :r. . : ?Inl lv 1: he hleh,.ty ey_te.^..
the dam .e one q?arry W a., cnen'e'i and ::rr< v:,tj .eg;r- cn 31,FrIng,
undatisn. The pourine _
Despite a constant shortage of ao.. .. , Vtic'd.i.t: 1. n r-t tlr er, +pri1 '_953.
irncn the dam in
^~,:. _3 the
of the river valley.
by the nev l aL The r hib' sn _. ec n' 1il *e r.dstci
an the ban%!.' ef the ;L c
c :.;r,-. :! :cL' ?i'.l n,>*. :..able .I -u?,r.:~.
all, Ostrava :?ith --rat Tttry, I
' th,,, r.
c ,8i t1f_ .. ,
in 1! ng the x r,u 1 a,' r, ;h^ t ? to ean`aed,
$t: 'fQ1Qec r.atern r e r f be
For instance, the n, ? , :r z . t l.. vri r. in the
.,.....
than can be c?' ^::rer , s carni'.:c int5 n- re
.._ ? nt ne lr:
:an;norteu eff .i
e rii v t c co v-? r to, rlir . , '? 1a
of the lack cf n,l ua.o t
trting he , recent bu k h, c ( ' f0 ', cretc ? .,.
wit
kr
7. Fira ialn?n
3 ti ;vicy, Fe'o
Fr we, ,!lada Fr:nt . ty
5. Pr clue, Sv:;balln S';,?: rhiy
0. Ibid. , 2(' Jun
Pr:t ue, Ru c Prav. ul 5-
3. Ler..edeisk?: :loving, 3 Feb 53
9. Rude Pravo, 22 Aug 53
10. Prague, Lidova Demo race, L7 Aug
s 57
11. L'ud, 24 Jan
53
12. Lidova Dernckraci.e, J. Mar 53
13. Svcbo2ne Slovo 3 Sep 53
14. Prague, Prace, 23 Aug 53
15. Lidcvu Dcrnokracie, 1 Jul 53
-6-
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