DniaproHES-2

DniaproHES-2
Name	DniaproHES-2
Country	Ukraine
Location	Zaporizhzhia Oblast
Status	Decommissioned / Destroyed
Construction started	1979
Commissioned	1983
Decommissioned	2022
Owner	Energoatom
Operator	Ukrhydroenergo
Primary fuel	Hydropower
Electrical capacity	~1,600 MW (planned)
Dam crosses	Dnieper River

DniaproHES-2 was a planned and partially constructed hydroelectric project on the Dnieper River near Zaporizhzhia, intended as a secondary stage complementing the existing DniproHES complex. Conceived during the late Soviet Union era, the project intersected with policies and institutions such as the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Ministry of Energy and Electrification of the USSR, and regional bodies in Ukrainian SSR, and later became entwined with post‑Soviet entities including Energoatom and Ukrhydroenergo. The project’s technical plans, strategic significance, and fate were affected by events involving Perestroika, the Chernobyl disaster, and the Russo‑Ukrainian War.

History

Planning for DniaproHES-2 originated in Soviet long‑range energy strategies that also mandated expansions at Volga–Don Canal feeder systems and at stations like Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant and DniproHES. Project approvals were debated within the Gosplan and presented to the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. Construction began during the administration of Leonid Brezhnev successors and continued into the era of Mikhail Gorbachev, with investment decisions influenced by Comecon energy coordination. After Ukraine declared independence in 1991, the project’s status became subject to budgetary review by the Verkhovna Rada and strategic reassessments by Ukrhydroenergo, with additional scrutiny following the environmental policy shifts prompted by the Rio Earth Summit.

Location and Design

The proposed site lay downstream of the existing DniproHES near the urban centers of Zaporizhzhia and Khortytsia Island, positioned to utilize the regulated flow from reservoirs like the Kahovka Reservoir and the Kaniv Reservoir. The design envisaged integration with regional transmission networks managed by Ukrenergo and coordination with thermal stations including Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant and Prydniprovska Thermal Power Station. Civil design work involved firms with Soviet precedents such as the Hydroproject Institute and engineering inputs referencing structures like the Sayano–Shushenskaya Dam and the Dniester HPP.

Construction and Technical Specifications

Early construction phases included foundation excavation, concrete placement, and cofferdam works informed by geotechnical surveys from institutes including Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Technical specifications called for a multi‑bay concrete gravity dam, a powerhouse housing Kaplan or Francis turbines sourced through collaborations with manufacturers like Turboatom and design consultants akin to Promstroy. Electrical equipment planning covered generators, step‑up transformers, and switchgear compatible with 330 kV and 750 kV corridors operated by Zaporizhzhia Regional Grid Company and connected to the Integrated Power System of Ukraine. Planned installed capacity estimates ranged around 1,200–1,800 MW with spillway capacity benchmarked to standards derived from international projects such as Itaipu Dam and Grand Coulee Dam assessments. Sediment management, navigation locks, and fish passes were stipulated in environmental appendices influenced by studies from World Bank consultants and regional conservation bodies including Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Nature.

Operational History and Incidents

Because the facility was never completed to full commercial operation, its operational history is a record of intermittent construction activity, partial commissioning tests, and damage sustained during regional conflicts. Works were suspended during periods of economic crisis in the 1990s and resumed under varying contract packages negotiated with domestic contractors and international firms referenced by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for infrastructure projects. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the project site and adjacent infrastructure including the DniproHES complex and Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant became strategic targets; reported strikes and sabotage incidents involved units similar to those in the Battle of Zaporizhzhia and led to irreversible damage described in contemporary assessments by OSCE monitors and United Nations briefings.

Environmental and Social Impact

Environmental assessments anticipated impacts on river hydrology, wetlands near Khortytsia National Nature Reserve, and migratory fish populations such as sturgeon historically associated with the Dnieper. Social impact studies considered resettlement for communities in districts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and changes to navigation affecting ports like Zaporizhzhia River Port and Dnipro Port. Critics referenced precedents from disputes over Kakhovka Reservoir management and invoked frameworks from international instruments negotiated through forums like the Convention on Biological Diversity and Ramsar Convention for wetland protection. Mitigation measures proposed included compensatory habitats, updated fisheries management coordinated with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, and socioeconomic programs to support affected municipalities such as Orikhiv and Kamyans'ke.

Ownership and Management

Post‑Soviet governance placed project oversight under entities such as Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, with operational responsibilities assigned to state enterprises including Ukrhydroenergo and financial interests managed by Energoatom in interagency dialogues. Contracting for construction and equipment engaged companies with histories in energy infrastructure like Turboatom and consultancy roles from multinational firms with experience in projects evaluated by the European Investment Bank. International oversight and aid discussions involved delegations from the European Commission, World Bank, and aid programs coordinated with the United Nations Development Programme.

Category:Hydroelectric power stations in Ukraine Category:Dnieper River