Kakhovka Dam

The Kakhovka Dam was a dam on the Dnieper River (also known as Dnipro) in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine, completed in 1956 and destroyed in 2023, which provided water for the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station (Ukrainian: Кахо́вська ГЕС імені П. С. Непорожнього, romanized: Kakhovs'ka HES imeni P. S. Neporozhn'oho). The primary purposes of the dam were hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, and navigation. It was the sixth and last dam in the Dnieper reservoir cascade.

Kakhovka Dam
The dam's spillways in use in 2013
Kakhovka Dam is located in Ukraine
Kakhovka Dam
Location of Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine
Kakhovka Dam is located in Kherson Oblast
Kakhovka Dam
Kakhovka Dam (Kherson Oblast)
Official nameKakhovska HPS
LocationNova Kakhovka, Ukraine
Coordinates46°46′34″N 33°22′18″E
PurposePower, irrigation, navigation
StatusDestroyed
Construction beganSeptember 1950
Opening date1956 (1956)
Demolition dateJune 6, 2023
Owner(s)Energy Company of Ukraine
Dam and spillways
Type of damEarth-fill embankment with gravity sections
ImpoundsDnieper River
Height30 m (98 ft)
Length3,273 m (10,738 ft)
Reservoir
CreatesKakhovka Reservoir
Total capacity18.180×10^9 m3 (14,738,766 acre⋅ft)
Surface area2,155 km2 (832 sq mi)
Power Station
Operator(s)Ukrhydroenergo
Commission date1955–1956
Turbines3 × 58.5, 3 × 60.5 MW propeller
Installed capacity357 MW
Annual generation1.4 TWh (equivalent to a capacity factor of roughly 45%)

The deep water channel created by the downstream flow allowed shipping up and down river.[1] The facility also included a winter garden. The P47 road and a railway crossed the Dnieper River on the dam.[2]

The Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant had a staff of 241 in October 2015. The director is Yaroslav Kobelya from September 2012. As of 2019, the dam was profitable bringing ₴6.1 million ($236,000) to local government budgets and ₴44.6 million ($1.73 million) to the national income.[1]

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on the morning of 6 June 2023, a significant portion of the dam was destroyed while it was under Russian control.[3][4][5][6]

History

Construction of the dam began in September 1950. The last generator was commissioned in October 1956.[7] Significant repairs and expansion were made from 2019.[8][1] It is operated by Ukrhydroenergo,[9][10] which was founded in 1994.

Construction
Cross-section of the central part of Kakhovka Dam

The central section of the dam consists of (from north-west to south-east) a reinforced concrete barrage dam, the hydro power station, and a lock for shipping. The whole dam, including lengthy embankments on each side of the central section, was 3.2 km (2.0 mi) long on the side facing the reservoir.[11] The power station had an installed capacity of 357 MW.

The lock through the dam
Cross section of Dam Wall and gates

Reservoir
Main article: Kakhovka Reservoir

The Kakhovka Reservoir held 18 cubic kilometres of water, equivalent to the Great Salt Lake in the United States.[12] The reservoir supplies water for cooling the 5.7 GW Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and for irrigating areas of southern Ukraine and northern Crimea via the North Crimean Canal, the Kakhovsky canal and the Dnieper–Kryvyi Rih Canal.[9][13]

A panorama of the central section of the dam, with the reservoir beyond it

Russian invasion of Ukraine

On 24 February 2022, the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the power plant was captured by Russian forces.[14][15] During weeks of artillery attacks by Ukraine in August and September, Ukrainian and Russian officials reported that the facility's ability to transport vehicles had been degraded,[16][17] but the dam itself retained structural integrity.[18]

In mid-October 2022, news reports suggested that Russians may have been planning to blow up the dam to slow down the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive in the region.[19][20][21][22]

On 11 November, a large explosion occurred in the northern section of the dam, shown on CCTV footage. The road and rail sections on top of the dam were destroyed, but the dam itself remained mostly undamaged. The explosion was attributed to Russian forces retreating from Kherson.[23][24] The southern bank of Dnipro and dam machinery remained under Russian control. Russian forces opened additional sluice gates, allowing water to rush out of the reservoir. At that time the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration in a statement suggested that one of the purposes of draining the reservoir might have been to flood the area south of the dam, in order to keep Ukrainian Forces from crossing the Dnipro River. Officials stated that Ukrhydroenergo, Ukraine's hydro electric company, believed Russian forces "opened the station's locks fearing an advance of Ukrainian soldiers".[25]

In early November 2022, the spillways at the dam had been opened, and the Kakhovka Reservoir dropped to its lowest level in three decades, putting irrigation and drinking water resources at risk, as well as the coolant systems for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Between 1 December 2022 and 6 February 2023, the water level dropped 2 meters (6.6 ft).[25]

From mid-February to late May 2023, either deliberately or as a result of neglect, the damaged dam was not adjusted to match the seasonal increase in water flow. As a result, water washed over the top of the dam and land upstream of the dam was flooded.[26][27] Water levels in the reservoir reached a 30-year high.[28] The raised water level caused some nearby villages to flood.[29]

Destruction of the dam
Main article: Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam
Satellite imagery of the dam before and after its destruction
Flooding in Kherson the day after the dam's destruction

On 6 June 2023, an explosion caused significant damage to the central section of the 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) wide dam, resulting in uncontrolled water flow downstream. There was an occurrence of an "internal explosion of the structures" within the dam, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.[5][4] Evacuations and rescue operations commenced as a result.[30]

According to the United Nations, the breach in the Kakhova Dam would have catastrophic consequences.[31] The destruction of the dam led to tens of thousands of people being in a flood zone and more than 50 deaths.[32][33] Over 40 different towns and villages in Ukraine are severely flooded and massive numbers of livestock have perished.[34]

Russia has controlled the dam since the start of the invasion,[35] but the two sides disagree on the cause of the destruction.[36] Russian-imposed officials in occupied Ukraine claim sabotage by Ukrainian forces.[37] Ukrainian officials attribute the disaster to the 205th Motorized Rifle Brigade of Russia.[38] No other national government has assigned blame for the dam's destruction, but it was reported by the BBC that both the United States[39] and the United Kingdom are leaning towards an assessment of Russian culpability.[40]

The New York Times has written that "the most likely cause of the collapse was an explosive charge placed in the maintenance passageway, or gallery, that runs through the concrete heart of the structure" and that "the evidence clearly suggests the dam was crippled by an explosion set off by the side that controls it: Russia."[41][42]

EU and Ukrainian leaders condemned the dam's destruction and called it a potential war crime[40] but reserved judgement on the attack. While Russia denies culpability, experts state that a deliberate explosion from inside the Russian-controlled dam is the most probable cause of its destruction.[3]

On 7 June, Ihor Syrota, head of Ukrhydroenergo, said that it would take "at least 5 years, [and] $1 billion" to rebuild the Kakhovka Dam.[43]

The BBC used satellite imagery to look at the canals fed from the Kakhovka Dam. Four canals have been identified as drying up. This could affect the drinking water of some 700,000 people. It could affect the growing of crops such as corn, soy beans, sunflower, and wheat as well as vegetables and fruits such as melons.[44]

See also

References
  1. "Каховська ГЕС – стійкий розвиток та підтримка регіону" [Kakhovskaya HPP – sustainable development and support of the region]. uhe.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  2. Ponomarenko, Illia (19 July 2022). "What would a Ukrainian counter-offensive in Kherson look like?". The Kyiv Independent. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  3. "Internal Blast Probably Breached Ukraine Dam, Experts Say (Cautiously)". New York Times. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  4. Ogirenko, Valentyn; Kelly, Lidia (6 June 2023). "Nova Kakhovka dam in Kherson region blown up by Russian forces – Ukraine's military". Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  5. Sullivan, Helen (6 June 2023). "Russia-Ukraine war live: dam near Kherson destroyed by Russian forces, says Ukraine, sparking evacuations". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  6. Adams, Paul (9 June 2023). "Two new pieces of evidence about how dam was breached". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. "Hydroelectric Power Plants in Ukraine". IndustCards. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  8. Timchenko, V. M.; Korzhov, Ye I.; Guliayeva, O. A.; Batog, S. V. (2015). "Dynamics of Environmentally Significant Elements of Hydrological Regime of the Lower Dnieper Section". Hydrobiological Journal. 51 (6): 75–83. doi:10.1615/HydrobJ.v51.i6.90. ISSN 0018-8166. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  9. "Kakhovska HPS" (in Russian). UGE. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  10. "Kahovska (Kakhovka) Hydroelectric Power Plant Ukraine". Global Energy Observatory. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  11. "Ukraine's Kakhovka Hydrolectric Power Plant". Radio Free Europe. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  12. Yerushalmy, Jonathan (6 June 2023). "Nova Kakhovka dam: everything you need to know about Ukraine's strategically important reservoir". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  13. Kirk, Ashley (8 June 2023). "Maps show how Kakhovka dam collapse threatens Ukraine's bread basket". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  14. "Soldiers Raise the Russian Flag Over Ukraine Power Plant". GreekReporter.com. 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  15. Ingram, Elizabeth (25 February 2022). "Russian forces capture Kakhovka hydropower plant in the Ukraine". Hydro Review. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022.
  16. "Ukraine strikes crucial bridge in Nova Kakhovka". Meduza. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  17. "Ukrainian forces keep shelling Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant — official". TASS. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  18. "Missile attack on Kyiv hydroelectric power plant to not cause catastrophic consequences – Ukrhydroenergo". Interfax-Ukraine. 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  19. "Ukraine war: Zelensky accuses Russia of plot to blow up dam". BBC News. 21 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  20. "Factbox: Is the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine about to be blown?". Reuters. 21 October 2022. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  21. "ISW: Russia may be planning false-flag attack on Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant". Meduza. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  22. Kilner, James; Bowman, Verity (20 October 2022). "'Atomic bomb' of water would be released by Russian false flag attack on Kherson dam". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  23. Ingram, Elizabeth (17 November 2022). "UK government issues update on Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine". Hydro Review. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  24. "The moment an explosion rocks dam near Kherson". BBC News. Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  25. "Russia is draining a massive Ukrainian reservoir, endangering a nuclear plant". NPR. 10 February 2023. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  26. Vasilisa Stepanenko; Lori Hinnant (25 May 2023). "Damage to Russian-occupied dam submerges Ukrainian reservoir island community". apnews.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023. Since mid-February, the water level in the reservoir has steadily increased, according to data from Theia, a French geospatial analytical organization. An Associated Press analysis of satellite imagery showed the water has now risen so high that it's washing over the top of the damaged Russian-occupied dam downstream.
  27. "Damage to Russian-occupied dam floods Ukrainian island community". Al Jazeera. 25 May 2023. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  28. "Ukraine and Russia Agree to Extend Black Sea Grain Deal". The New York Times. 17 May 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  29. "Evacuations begin after a major dam in southern Ukraine is heavily damaged". www.npr.org. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  30. Hallam, Jonny; Pennington, Josh; Regan, Helen; Voitovych, Olga; Nasser, Irene; Shukla, Sebastian; Kottasová, Ivana; Mezzofiore, Gianluca; Shelley, Jo (6 June 2023). "Collapse of critical Ukrainian dam sparks region-wide evacuations. Here's what we know". CNN. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
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  37. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 6, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
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  39. "Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up a major dam; Kremlin blames Kyiv". BBC News. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  40. Webber, Esther (7 June 2023). "Rishi Sunak blasts Russia's 'new low' as MI6 investigates Ukraine dam explosion". Politico EU. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  41. Glanz, James; Santora, Marc; Robles, Pablo; Willis, Haley; Leatherby, Lauren; Koettl, Christoph; Khavin, Dmitriy (16 June 2023). "Why the Evidence Suggests Russia Blew Up the Kakhovka Dam". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  42. Sheldon, Michael (29 June 2023). "Satellite Imagery Reveals Russia Caused Flooding in Occupied Ukrainian Town Before Counteroffensive". Bellingcat. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
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Further reading
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