Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Kakhovka facility was a large dam on the Dnipro River with concrete barriers, turbine halls, and locks for ships. The structure spanned 3.2 kilometers (about 2 miles) and connected both riverbanks with a thick wall.

Construction of the plant began in September 1950 and was completed in October 1956 when the last generator went online. In June 2023 the facility was destroyed and the reservoir emptied over several days.

The power plant represents a significant example of mid-20th century industrial engineering in Ukraine, demonstrating the period's focus on large infrastructure projects.

The facility stood on the eastern edge of Nova Kakhovka, where the main road crossed the river. The reservoir stretched upstream toward Zaporizhzhia and supplied cooling water for the nuclear plant located there.

The reservoir behind the dam held 18 cubic kilometers of water and was the second-to-last link in a chain of six dams on the Dnipro. The facility also formed part of a system that supplied irrigation water to Crimea.

Location: Kherson Oblast

Location: Tavriysk

Inception: 1950

GPS coordinates: 46.77611,33.37167

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:22