Ukraine’s Dnipro hydroplant restoration to take years following Russian missile attack
The machine hall was destroyed, and a new one should be constructed, while some equipment should be manufactured from scratch. It is expected to take at least two years.
In an interview with Espresso, Ihor Syrota, the General Director of PrAT “Ukrhydroenergo,” stated that the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Station (Dnipro HPS), which was recently attacked by Russian forces, cannot be quickly restored. The extent of the damage will only be fully assessed once the debris in the machine hall is cleared.
“Unfortunately, repairing the damage to the Dnipro HPS is not a quick process. Currently, we are trying to dismantle the remains of the ceiling and walls of the machine hall, which are broken and tilted. We cannot dismantle the machine hall until we remove the overlap, which is over 35 meters high so that we can then clear the debris in the machine hall,” Syrota explained.
A superficial inspection gives an understanding that it will take years to restore the station to its original design state, Syrota added. The damage is substantial, with over six missiles hitting the station itself and damage to the road surface and crane beams where the crane lifts the gates to allow water to pass through.
“I think within a week, we will be able to clear all this debris, and then we can discuss the consequences in more detail. But there are many hits to the units themselves, equipment is burned, so there is a lot of work to be done,” Syrota stated.
He further explained that some units must be manufactured from scratch, which could take 18 to 24 months, not including the time required for dismantling and installation. The machine hall will also need to be completely rebuilt.
On 22 March 2024, the Russian missiles attacked the largest hydroelectric power plant in Ukraine, the Dnipro HPS. As a result of the shelling, one person was killed, and oil products were spilled into the river. The power plant was critically damaged, but fortunately, the dam remained stable.
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