Search by keyword: Baikal region

Problems in Hydropower Development of Lake Baikal: the Past and the Present

The article discusses the relationship of the hydropower industry with the socio-economic sphere and natural environment in the Baikal region under different hydrological conditions and water management in Russia. The lake has been used as a reservoir for the Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power Station (HPS) since a hydroelectric dam blocked the Angara River. When the Angara Hydro­electric Power Chain started work, the Irkutsk Reservoir became the main one, which has defined the importance of Lake Baikal for the Siberian Intercon­nected Power System and Angarsk multipurpose water-resources scheme. De­pending on hydrological conditions during the operation of the Angara Hydro­electric Power Chain, we can distinguish several stages of lake-level fluc­tuations. In 1983-1995, the level of the Irkutsk Reservoir repeatedly exceeded the normal design level. In 2014, a catastrophic water shortage in the catch­ment basin of Lake Baikal exacerbated negative effect on the socio-economic sphere and natural environment on the eastern shore of the lake. When Baikal became a World Natural Heritage site, legislative amendments of 2001 limited the threshold levels of the lake within one-meter range. This restriction substan­tially affected hydroelectric regimes in terms of social and economic security in the downstream of the Irkutsk HPS within the boundaries of Irkutsk and on the shore of Lake Baikal under the new Russian economic conditions that result from market transformations and the renovation of the Water Code. The article examines the role that the Irkutsk HPS and Lake Baikal, as the primary part of the Irkutsk Reservoir, play in the development of the Baikal region. We also consider the problems related to the use of Lake Baikal under low-water and high-water conditions. The article determines hydrological hazards and threats to the security of the population and the economy in the downstream of the Irkutsk HPS and on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal in the case of high water inflows. We propose priority measures to overcome these threats and settle the interregional relations in the catchment basin of Lake Baikal. The measures include ensuring economic entities and lands within areas of periodic flooding and redistributing the hydroelectricity rent received by the owners of the Angara HPS between the regions. The aim is to manage the functioning and development of natural, technical, economic and social systems of the entire basin of Lake Baikal and the Angara River.

Nikitin V. M. [email protected]

Saveliev V. A. [email protected]

Berezhnykh T. V. [email protected]

Abasov N. V. [email protected]

Keywords: interregional environmental and energy relations Baikal region socio-economic and environmental consequences and threats Siberian Interconnected Power System hydroelectric power chain on the Angara River Angara Baikal

Institutional Problems of the Development in Baykal Region

The paper analyses institutional conditions of the development of the Baikal region which can be seen in the Socio-Economic Development for the Far East and Baikal region and other documents. We can identify three types of institutions which impact on regional development such as organizing, distributive and transformational ones. We show that the quality of the Baikal region transformational institutions reduces the effectiveness of the governmental programs aimed at the development and enhancement of competitiveness of this region in open markets.

Sysoyeva N. M. [email protected]

Keywords: Baikal region Siberia Baikal region strategy economic regionalization institutions of regional development organizing institutions redistribution of incomes

Environment Pollution and Damage to Health: Current State and Compensation Mechanisms

The paper assesses the ecological situation in the Baikal region and how it affects the people health. We propose a technique for assessing the damage to health; application of tax tools to compensate damages; and a new technique for calculation of individual income taxes reflecting the level of pollution of territories where people reside.

Kireyenko A. P. [email protected]

Rusetskaya G. D. [email protected]

Gorbunova O. I. [email protected]

Keywords: Baikal region federal districts population health area of Baikal-Amur Main Line (BAM) Baikal region environment pollution

Eastern Border-Zones of Russia: Student-Age Population’s Attitudes towards Migration

The paper considers attitudes of the student-age population in the Zabaykalsky Krai towards migration and whether they are feasible within the objectives and goals of the Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the Russian Far East and Baykal Region 2025. An empirical subject of our study is the students of the largest university in the Zabaykalsky Krai – Zabaykalsky State University. We can conclude that a significant share of young specialists being educated here may leave the region as early as in the years to come. In the context of a regional human resource competition, the Strategy goals could be likely achieved with no measures aimed at building favorable conditions in the years to come in order the educated youth would be able to find jobs in regions of Siberia and the Far East

Bogomolova T. Yu. [email protected]

Glazyrina I. P. [email protected]

Sidorenko N. L. [email protected]

Keywords: Baikal region Siberia Baykal region strategy students

Multipurpose utilization of natural gas in the Baikal Region: backgrounds, vectors, and implementation conditions

A priority task for developing the Baikal region (the Irkutsk Oblast, Buryatia Republic, and Zabaikal region) is to modernize the existing chemical industry, and to build new facilities which are oriented on usage of both natural gas and its components, and producing high value added products. Being used as the power-generating and process fuel, gas could allow replacing expensive fuel oil and solving many social and ecologic problems. The Kovykta Gas Condensate Field ready for its commercial operation could become a resource base for such gasification. The paper also presents the economic assessment of building the new gas processing works and gas-chemical plants in the territory of the Baikal region; the efficiency of methane usage as fuel by different consumer's groups; a comparative analysis of several regional gas supply systems; and what is required the recommendations proposed to be realised.

Saneev B. G. [email protected]

Platonov L. A. [email protected]

Maysyuk Ye. P. [email protected]

Izhbuldin A. K. [email protected]

Keywords: Baikal region Baikal region gas manufacture Kovykta Gas Condensate Field gas processing gas-chemical plants gasification pipeline infrastructure

The role of the energy sector in the socio-economic development of the Baikal region

Having analyzed a current economic situation in the Baikal region, we can state that the region falls behind other Russian regions on average. The development of the regional fuel and energy complex is considered of the highest priority. We present our forecasts of the levels of energy consumption and related volumes of energy production in the region which could allow improving the regional fuel and energy balance and socio-economic indicators. This also allows the higher tax revenues in the region.

Saneev B. G. [email protected]

Sokolov A. D. [email protected]

Korneyev A. G. [email protected]

Muzychuk S. Yu. [email protected]

Keywords: Baikal region energy sector socio-economic development socio-economic development energy consumption methodology economy fuel and energy resources

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