Ministry: Situation at Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Dam under control, no danger of breach
The situation at Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Dam is under control, and there is no danger of a breach following a Russian missile attack, the Environment Ministry said on March 23.
The Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, Ukraine's largest hydroelectric station, was hit with eight Russian missiles on March 22 during the biggest attack on the country's energy infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
The Hydroelectric Power Station-2 (HPS-2), one of the two stations of Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant, is in critical condition following the attack. The dam itself suffered damage as well, but officials said already on March 22 that there was no risk of a breach.
Representatives of state and regional authorities held a coordination meeting regarding the potential environmental impacts of the attack on March 23.
According to the State Environmental Inspectorate's conclusions, the concentration of petroleum products in the water has decreased. Water intake has been suspended in the Bilenke community, the only area that draws water from the lower reaches of the Dnipro River.
The Inspectorate estimated the cost of damages to water resources at Hr 159,305 ($4,100). Damages caused by soil and air pollution are still being calculated.
Last year, Russian forces destroyed the Kahkovka Dam and the adjacent hydroelectric station located downstream of the Dnipro Dam, causing a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe across southern Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
