| World news Ukraine Explosion destroys Kakhovka hydropower plant in Ukraine
The Kakhovka hydropower plant located in the Russian-controlled southern part of Ukraine was destroyed following an explosion inside the powerhouse on 6 June, operator Ukrhydroenergo has said, resulting in a catastrophic release of water from the dam . Ukraine has claimed that Russia deliberately destroyed the plant, while Russia denies this. Ihor Syrota, Ukrhydroenergo director general, described the incident as a ‘barbaric act of destruction’. He said that in addition to the immediate destruction of the station, there will also be environmental consequences as a result of machine oil from the turbines and transformers entering the water. He said that a number of measures are being undertaken at all levels to stop the ecological impacts and evacuate people from areas of possible flooding as soon as possible. The project was originally constructed in 1956. In addition to generating electricity, it supplies water to the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, both under Russian control. The Zaporizhzhya plant relies on the reservoir for cooling water. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that
there was no immediate nuclear safety risk at the plant as a result of the dam’s failure. However, the situation continues to be closely monitored by the IAEA. The aftermath of the explosion has resulted in significant operational and environmental consequences, operator Ukrhydroenergo has confirmed. The company has been giving daily updates on the situation in the region and the latest news is that the Kakhovka reservoir has become catastrophically shallow. the company said the Dnipro river has returned to its old channel, and in some places, it is just a stream. The average level of the lower pool near the Dnipro Dam is 12.88m BS. According to the Ukrainian Hydromedical Center, the water level at the Kherson post as of 8:00 a.m. on June 26 is 0.33m BS. At the level of Kherson, the river has returned to the pre-detonation water level.
Ukrhydroenergo and the design institute are working on a
project to build a cofferdam (dam) for the Kakhovka reservoir after de-occupation. Ukrhydroenergo workers continue to provide
humanitarian aid to those affected by the occupiers’ explosion of the Kakhovka HPP. The global hydropower community has come out to support the dam’s operator and has offered assistance. The International Hydropower Association (IHA) released a statement expressing its concern over the damage to the dam. “There is still much we do not know about the circumstances of this incident, but it is clear that communities will be dislocated, large amounts of clean energy and water lost, and livelihoods severely affected,” said Eddie Rich, IHA Chief Executive. “The worldwide hydropower community will want to join with IHA in offering our sympathies to those affected by this tragedy. Our thoughts are with them and those engaged in the damage limitation effort. “We call for infrastructure workers in Ukraine to be allowed to fulfil their duties. We encourage our network to support our members in the redevelopment and reconstruction process as and when the time comes. We continue to monitor the situation through our international network.” In October of 2022, ICOLD released a statement on a situation
of great concern at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, imploring that national and regional facilities of such importance must remain instruments of peace and development and should never be used as instruments of war. It said it in a statement: “In recent days, the world’s worst fears were realised and a catastrophic release of water from the dam ensued. While ICOLD has no knowledge of the actions taken, or of those responsible, the publicly available evidence suggests that the cause was most likely to have been deliberate, rather than accidental. This action is condemned in the strongest possible terms and the consequential cost in human, environmental and economic terms cannot be justified in respect of any military objective. “ICOLD anticipates that Ukraine is probably experiencing some difficulties assuring dam safety across the country with the shortage of operational and maintenance expertise, as a result of the displacement of people. Dam safety must always be given paramount priority and ICOLD would accordingly like to offer its support and assistance to Ukraine in any related area that may be of benefit.”
Canada Hydro-Québec’s Eastmain-1 Development assessed against Hydropower Sustainability Standard The Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) and Hydro-Québec have jointly released an Assessment Report, evaluating the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of the Eastmain-1 Development project in accordance with the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS). This comprehensive report sheds light on the project’s operational practices and impact management. The Eastmain-1 Development project encompasses the Eastmain Reservoir and the Eastmain-1 and Bernard-Landry power houses, which are critical components of Quebec’s hydropower infrastructure. In order to gauge
its adherence to sustainability principles, the project underwent an exhaustive evaluation process conducted by a team of independent assessors. The process involved document reviews, interviews, and an extensive site visit to gather relevant data. The Assessment Report focuses on the Eastmain-1 and Bernard-Landry generating facilities, analyzing their performance across the 12 ESG topics outlined by the HSS. Notably, the report highlights the project’s positive achievements in various crucial areas, including biodiversity preservation, labour and working conditions, cultural heritage preservation, and governance and procurement. One of the key highlights of the assessment is the close collaboration between Hydro-Québec and the Cree community. The report recognizes that the involvement and engagement of the Cree community has played a central role in the
project’s operations, showcasing a model of cooperation be-tween industry and indigenous communities. To ensure transparency and accountability, the Assessment Report is now open for public comment for a period of 60 days. Interested stakeholders and members of the public are encouraged to provide their insights and perspectives on the report’s findings. This public consultation period aims to
foster a comprehensive evaluation of the project’s performance, taking into account the viewpoints of diverse stakeholders. The HSA and Hydro-Québec welcome constructive feedback and input, which will contribute to the ongoing commitment to sustainable hydropower development.
As the public comment period begins,
stakeholders and interested parties are invited to actively participate in the process,
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