In the 1880-1900s, the rapid growth of the Donets Basin caused a sharp increase in the volume of coal and grain transportation to the ports of the Azov Sea. It was also decided to create lock systems for the Seversky Donets and the Lower Don. 

    This project for locking the Don River from the village of Kalach to the confluence of the Seversky Donets was developed by N.P. Puzyrevsky. And in 1911-1914, six hydroelectric complexes of the Seversky-Donets lock system were built, and in the period from 1914 to 1919, hydroelectric complex No. 1 near the village of Kochetovskaya.

    The construction of the hydroelectric complex began during the First World War, including the use of prisoners of war, among them Germans, Austrians, and Hungarians. 

    But already in 1918, all prisoners of war were removed from work and were subsequently sent home.

    In 1928-1932, additional dam openings were built for the spillway with a wide threshold of 40 meters.

    In the 50-60s of the last century, after the commissioning of the Volga-Don Canal, the old Kochetovsky lock already required repair. The dimensions of this lock became a serious obstacle to shipping, because the new generation of ships simply could not fit into the lock. 

    Later, the lock was reconstructed with the dimensions of the same structures of the Volga-Don Canal. The dimensions of the chamber were 145 by 17 meters. Upper and lower mooring guides were built, machinery buildings with a central control panel also appeared, the parapets of the chamber were adjusted, and the electromechanical equipment of the lock was replaced. 

    But by the 1990s, the hydraulic unit was outdated again. Expanding the dimensions of the old lock chamber was considered irrational. It was easier to build a new lock of standard dimensions next to the old chamber, which would handle the flow of large ships. This project for reconstruction of the second line of the lock was developed in 1990, but its implementation was hampered by the events that led to the collapse of the state. And only in 2001 the project was resumed. 

    In December 2006, a technical test of the lock was successfully carried out with the passage of a cargo ship. The first passage of the lock took place on April 1, 2008.

Commissioning of the second line of the lock made it possible to solve the following problems:

- Ensure safe shipping conditions on the Azov-Astrakhan interbasin connection;

- Increased the competitiveness of the Russian part of the North-South international transport corridor;

- Increased the capacity of waterways on the Azov-Volgograd section by 7.3 million tons of cargo.

    The construction of the second line of the lock is of particular importance, as it will contribute to the development of export-import transportation on the section from Astrakhan to the Sea of ​​Azov. 

    The team of the hydroelectric complex celebrated its 90th anniversary on July 3, 2010.