Abandoned power plant in Abkhazia: Showing a real paradise for stalkers (22 photos)

The abandoned GRES (State District Power Plant) in Abkhazia is a huge structure that was built in the 1980s and is located on the Kodor River near the city of Tkvarcheli (in the western part of Abkhazia).





We show what the former state district power plant looks like today

1. Tkvarcheli State District Power Plant is one of the many abandoned facilities in Abkhazia.



2. Tkvarcheli is a typical mining town, whose history began in the 1930s.





3. Before the war, they managed to launch eight mines, which by the end of the 80s produced 0.37 million tons of coal.



4. Old photo of Tkvarcheli: 40 thousand people lived in the city at that time.



5. In 1935, the first GRES (State District Power Plant) was built and launched here.



6. Tkvarcheli State District Power Plant operated on coal, which was mined here, and provided the young republic with electricity.



7. Coal production was so intensive that it could be exported by trainloads.



8. Moreover, coking coal was mined in Tkvarcheli, which was in short supply in the world.



9. As a result, three years after the launch of the state district power station, an entire industrial complex appeared in this territory, engaged in the extraction and enrichment of coal.



10. In 1992, the war began. Tkvarcheli and Gudauta suffered the most from the fighting.



The city survived a terrible siege that lasted 413 days. Only 12% of the population remained in Tkvarcheli, and the power plant was deactivated.

11. Today, an abandoned hydroelectric power station in Abkhazia looks impressive and at the same time frightening.



One of the main attractions of the power plant is the tall chimney, which can be seen from any part of the city. It was built by German engineers and, due to its strength, withstood a direct hit from an artillery shell, which did not explode. He left a huge hole between the 5th and 6th tiers. You can still climb up the rusty stairs, but every year it becomes more and more dangerous.

12. The structure is located at an altitude of more than 60 meters and consists of several buildings, as well as a large amount of equipment and mechanisms.



13. Inside the building you can see pieces of broken windows, walls covered in graffiti, and equipment covered in rust.



14. Now the power plant is completely abandoned. In some part of it, work is underway on cutting and removing metal structures - the station gates periodically open, and a truck full of rusty metal comes out.



Somewhere in the depths of the territory a lonely Bulgarian woman is “singing”. Most of the power plant is practically unguarded and serves as shelter for local cows from the sun and bad weather.

15. However, the abandoned hydroelectric power station in Abkhazia remains an attractive destination for tourists and fans of extreme sports such as basic jumping and mountaineering.



16. On its territory, work is underway to dismantle and remove metal structures; the station gates are periodically opened to let trucks full of rusty metal parts through.



17. Half-decayed documentation is scattered across the floor, and someone’s certificates of honor once hung on the walls.



Now the letters on this moldy paper are barely visible.

18. The clock above the entrance stopped forever more than 15-20 years ago.



19. Inside a closed cabinet, covered with a thick layer of rust and dust, a forgotten newspaper with a publication date of June 29, 1991 was found.



20. The basements of the state district power plant are now completely flooded with water in which nimble fish breed.



21. In the early 2000s, Abkhazian authorities attempted to attract investors to the region, and they seemed to be successful: one metallurgical company from India began mining coal in local mines.



However, coal prices on the world market fell sharply, and the company was forced to close its operations.