#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. In 1965, for the power supply of the growing Talnah and its mines, the construction of a thermal power plant, the current CHPP-2, began. At first, it was planned to feed its fireboxes with the coal, which came to the surface along the Listvyanka river.
At the same time, 12 kilometers from Talnah, under mount Sokol, a settlement of the same name appeared. More than a hundred geologists and drillers settled in it, leading the tunneling of coal adits.
At first, the entire housing stock of Listvyanka consisted of only a few wagons. But by the end of the 1960s, wooden dormitories, a shop, a canteen, a workshop, and an office building were built there. They also erected the only brick building in the village – a household house.
Thanks to Listvyanka, a well-trodden road appeared along the spurs of the Talnah mountains. At first it was not easy to get there even on a tractor, but later a regular bus went to Listvyanka. Here is how Zapolyarnaya Pravda local newspaper wrote about this on June 9, 1967:
“The road to Listvyanka is completely muddy. The Bear creek overflowed. The Hare creek became stormy, restless. In some places, the snow seems dense, but if you step – you will fall through to the waist. And yet the all-terrain vehicle passed. And it brought the head of the Norilsk complex geological exploration expedition V. Shubin, the chief engineer A. Manyakin and the chairman of the local committee G. Saprykin. Everyone gathered in the red corner. In a simple conversation, they talked about pressing matters. Managers and geologists have one common goal – to determine the coal reserves hidden in Listvyanka. These works are designed for another three years. Is it possible to shorten this period: coal is so needed now…”
HPP-2 was supposed to receive coal from Listvyanka in 1969. But luckily, gas was found in Taimyr, and the it was transferred to the blue fuel. The village of Listvyanka was closed. But the road along the mountains and the only brick building are still intact.
In the last issue of the History Spot photo project we told about the southern neighbor of Norilsk – Igarka, which was connected with us by strong transport ties.
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Text: Svetlana Samohina, Photo: Nornickel Polar Division archive
