Energy of generations: the Veselov dynasty has been working at the Avtozavodskaya CHPP for 95 years.

      April 22, 2026 13:20 Society 95 years ago, one of the most powerful heat and power plants in the country was built – the Avtozavodskaya CHPP (part of En+ Teplo Volga). The archive of the energy company holds unique stories of its employees. Today we will tell you about the Veselov family dynasty, who have been devoted to the energy sector since the construction of the CHPP.

      The history of the Veselov family is a living chronicle of the industrial area, where personal biography intertwines with the annals of a strategic enterprise. From a cook and a driver at the shock construction site to the head of the laboratory and deputy technical director – four generations of one family have been providing warmth and light to the residents of Nizhny Novgorod for 95 years. Today, two sisters – representatives of the dynasty – Svetlana and Lyudmila Veselov work at the Avtozavodskaya CHPP.

      It all began in 1930 when Maria Ivanovna and Mikhail Alekseevich Veselov decided to travel from Vetluga in the Nizhny Novgorod region to the construction of the century – the construction of the Avtozavodskaya CHPP and the Gorky Automobile Plant. Mikhail became a driver, while Maria got a job as a cook in the cafeteria of the under-construction Avtozavodskaya CHPP. Two years later, they had a son, whom they named with a completely atypical name for the Soviet Union - Tom.

      According to family legend, the boy was born during a critical period for energy workers – the days of launching the factory conveyor. The future father was busy at the site, and Maria Ivanovna was quickly taken to the maternity hospital by a colleague, an American named Tom. The foreign specialist came to our country to participate in the construction of the industrial site of the Avtozavod.

      The electrical shop group of the Avtozavodskaya CHPP, 1953. Tom Mikhailovich and Iraida Borisovna Veselov are on the left in the top row. After finishing school, Tom Mikhailovich got a job in the electrical shop of the CHPP, where he worked until retirement. His wife, Iraida Borisovna, worked alongside her husband for several years. Their son Mikhail Tomovich also chose energy as his profession. He graduated from the Gorky Radio-Electronic Technical School and came to the CHPP in 1980. Over 30 years, he rose from electrician and master to deputy technical director.

      Today, two daughters of Mikhail Tomovich work at the CHPP – Svetlana and Lyudmila. Svetlana Mikhailovna is the leading economist in the economic activity department. Her sister Lyudmila Mikhailovna joined in 2008 as an engineer in the welding and metal control department. Today she is the head of the Metals Laboratory. She is the only woman in Russia leading such a division and one of three women leaders at the Avtozavodskaya CHPP. Additionally, Lyudmila is an active participant in the "Leaders of En+" personnel training program.

      Workers of the Avtozavodskaya CHPP at a Saturday workday, 1950s. Tom Mikhailovich and Mikhail Tomovich Veselov are on the right in the bottom row. "For our family, the CHPP is not just a schedule of shifts and production indicators. It is a living memory that is passed down from generation to generation," says Svetlana Veselova. "When I returned to the company after maternity leave, I clearly understood: I am not just restoring my work biography; I am continuing my family's history. Today, working with economics and numbers, I feel the same responsibility as our ancestors did when they launched the first phase of the CHPP, built new energy facilities, and provided residents and strategic production with electricity, heat, and water. We do not just work at the Avtozavodskaya CHPP – we preserve our family's energy code."

      The Veselov dynasty is an example of how industrial continuity is maintained through changing eras. From manual labor to the metals laboratory, from the Soviet construction site to the modern, reliable CHPP – their journey reflects the evolution of domestic energy. The Veselov surname in the staff of the Avtozavodskaya CHPP reminds us that true energy is born not only in turbines but also in the loyalty to the cause passed down from father to son, from grandfather to granddaughter. Photo from the archive of the Avtozavodskaya CHPP. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.