Saldo named approximate terms of Kakhovskaya HPP restoration

It may take several years to restore the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (HPP), which was destroyed in a terrorist attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in June 2023. This was stated by the Governor of Kherson region Volodymyr Saldo on November 18, noting that the strategically important facility has colossal damage.

"Restoration of Kakhovskaya HPP is a difficult task. Its realization may take several years. The power plant has suffered colossal damage: its onshore and above-water components have been almost completely destroyed," RIA Novosti quoted Saldo as saying.

The governor noted that the destroyed Kakhovskaya HPP is on the battle line, so it is currently not possible to conduct a comprehensive study of the dam to determine the exact timing of restoration and approximate costs for this, adds "Gazeta.Ru". However, it will be necessary to put the station back into operation.

"To restore the Kakhovskaya HPP, of course, it is necessary. It will allow to raise the economy of the region: to reanimate the industrial and agricultural potential, to provide water supply to the population of the north-western districts of the left-bank part of the Kherson region and to resume water supply to Crimea," - explained Saldo.

Before that, on June 7, speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2024), Saldo noted that the Kakhovka reservoir will accumulate water for at least two years after the restoration of the dam. He specified that after the destruction of the dam by the Ukrainian troops, more than 17 cubic kilometers of water was dumped aimlessly and with causing damage into the Black Sea in only a few days.

A day earlier, the governor called the guilt of the Kiev regime in the strikes on the Kakhovskaya HPP and its destruction proven and beyond doubt. He also noted that it is not technically difficult to solve the issue of restoration of the Kakhovskaya HPP dam at the current level of development of science and production in Russia. On May 26, the governor also reported that the total amount of damage from the destruction of the Kakhovskaya HPP by the AFU is estimated at more than 11.5 billion rubles.

In late August 2023, Saldo told a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that all communications in the Kherson region, which were destroyed when the plant burst, had been restored. Then he pointed out that thanks to the work done, people have started to return to the region.

As a result of a terrorist attack committed by Ukrainian nationalists on June 6, 2023, the Kakhovskaya HPP broke through and uncontrolled water discharge began. Subsequently, dozens of settlements, including Kherson and Novaya Kakhovka, were almost completely flooded. The number of victims reached 175, 59 people died. About 9 thousand residents were evacuated to safe places.

Kakhovskaya HPP is the sixth and the lowest station on the Dnieper. It closes the Dnieper cascade. The waters of the Kakhovka reservoir feed the arid areas of Kherson Oblast and the Crimean Peninsula.