On the night of March 22, Russia carried out the most massive attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, among others by firing two missiles at DniproHES (according to Ukrhydroenergo) or eight missiles (according to the Prosecutor General’s Office, as some media reported), which caused serious damage to HPP-1 and HPP-2 (both plants are now out of service)
Ihor Syrota, CEO of Ukrhydroenergo said about «significant losses» reconstructed and modernized equipment.
«Emergency services and the State Emergency Service are working at the plant. The fire is localized. The turbine room is smoky and it is not possible to allow specialists to enter the scene to examine the damage to the hydraulic structure and electrical equipment. We are testing different modes of water release from the reservoir».
Mr. Syrota added that by the end of the day, more detailed information should be available on what has been saved and what capacities can be connected to the unified power system and what will need to be restored.
To According to the State Environmental Inspectorate as a result of the damage to the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant, oil products leaked into the Dnipro River — experts took water samples for laboratory analysis.
Earlier, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Galushchenko said that Ukrainian Energy Ministry said that today’s attack on energy facilities was the largest on record. Damage was reported in Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Khmelnytsky, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Dnipro, and Kharkiv regions. Some regions are partially without power (700,000 customers in Kharkiv alone were left without electricity), and in some places stabilization schedules have been introduced.
Due to the emergency shutdown of several TPP and HPP units, there is a certain decrease in electricity production. To cover the needs of consumers, the company has arranged for emergency electricity supplies from neighboring countries, such as Romania, Slovakia, and Poland. Commercial electricity imports are also planned. Zaporizhzhia NPP is currently powered by a single 330 kV line due to a power outage — the water level in the cooling pond is 15.52 m, which is sufficient to meet the plant’s needs.
In total, the Russians attacked Ukraine last night with 60 «Shaheds» and almost 90 missiles — 92 air targets were destroyed.