Guardians of traditions: CHPP-3 and its symbols

The world of rapid change is especially valuable for the things that keep the link between the generations. Such a detail has been carefully taken care of on the territory of CHPP-3 – the monument to V.I. Lenin, which has been located here since the station was founded in 1964, has been renovated.

This monument appears to be just a plain sculpture for many people. But for the staff of CHPP-3, it is a part of the history of the power industry, and a reminder of the roots of the profession and the significant day that started it all.

Marat Amir, engineer for construction supervision of CHPP-3: “The monument to Vladimirovich Lenin was installed here almost at the same time as the commissioning of CHPP-3. Then it was in honor of the revolution of 1917 and now it is our symbol, almost an ancestral sign of power engineers. After all, it was on 22 December 1920 that Lenin co-signed the GOELRO plan together with G.M. Kryzhanovskiy. This day became the start point for the development of the entire country’s power industry – and it is still considered our professional holiday”.

The monument to V.I. Lenin has long now become an integral part of the station’s architectural appearance. Over the years, it has gained respect and warmth on the part of the employees. Neither demonstrations nor slogans are heard here, but the humble and sincere attitude towards the monument is preserved.

Whenever foreign delegations come to the station, they always ask to stop at the monument. It is a frame that speaks of time, of tradition, of respect for history for them too.

“It’s not just a symbol. It is a picture from the past that we carefully transfer to the present,” the workers say.

Renovating the monument is not a formality. This is a manifestation of the very ‘warm power’ that power engineers invest not only in their work, but also in the appearance of the place where the years of their lives pass by.

There is also a monument to a woman with a child on the territory of the station – another image with a sense of a meaning: it is about the future, caring, and continuity. Employees respect all architectural forms on the territory of CHPP-3, perceiving them not as ornaments, but as parts of the shared memory.