The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant (HPP) and the flooding of large areas in connection with this caused damage, according to preliminary estimates, to at least 500 MW of RES capacities in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, including in the temporarily occupied territory, Artem Semenyshyn, head of the Solar Energy Association of Ukraine, believes.

"According to preliminary estimates, at least 500 MW of generating capacities from renewable energy sources in Kherson and Mykolaiv regions are completely or partially damaged or cannot yet supply electricity to the grid, given the large hydropower industry," Semenyshyn said in a comment to Energy Reform.

He stressed that, first of all, we are talking about the 334 MW capacity of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant itself, which cannot be restored, as well as varying degrees of damage due to flooding of more than 150 MW of solar power plants, of which about 130 MW are industrial ground SPPs.

"The high water caused enormous damage to some operating solar plants in the south. Long-term exposure of panel and transformer equipment under water leads to significant damage to generating capacities or the threat of their failure in the future," Semenyshyn said.

In addition, according to him, the shutdown of electrical substations due to flooding makes it impossible for other network solar power plants to produce power, and this also incurs significant losses for Ukraine, which is forced to import electricity today.

"Of course, all damage can be accurately calculated much later, but it is already obvious that this disaster has also had a significant impact on renewable energy in Ukraine," the director of the Solar Energy Association emphasized.