Distribution of Energy Resources in Leningrad during Wartime

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-611-6_82How to use a DOI?

Keywords

energy; distribution; fuel; sources; crisis

Abstract

This study examines the system of energy resource distribution in besieged Leningrad during 1941–1944 as a unique case of urban energy functioning under extreme conditions. The aim of the research is to identify the mechanisms of allocation and management of scarce fuel and electricity resources and to assess their role in maintaining the operation of urban infrastructure and industry. The methodological basis of the study includes the analysis of archival documents, primarily decisions of the supreme governing bodies, as well as quantitative data on the distribution of gasoline and electricity over time. The results demonstrate that the energy supply system acquired a highly centralized and adaptive character, with strict prioritization of critical consumers such as defense enterprises, municipal services, and administrative institutions; peak allocations of fuel coincided with periods of extreme temperatures, while overall resource volumes remained critically limited. The study also reveals the combined use of administrative measures and infrastructural solutions, including the development of alternative fuel sources and the construction of energy supply routes, which contributed to partial stabilization. It is concluded that the experience of Leningrad reflects a specific model of crisis energy management based on rigid control, resource prioritization, and system adaptability, offering insights relevant to contemporary research on energy resilience and security.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Prigodich Nikita
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/07
TI  - Distribution of Energy Resources in Leningrad during Wartime
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 12th International Conference on Digital Humanities and Frontiers in Social Sciences (DHFSS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 741
EP  - 749
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-611-6_82
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-611-6_82
ID  - Nikita2026
ER  -