KYIV. March 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The construction of the Kaniv pumped storage power station (PSPP), which will lead to the destruction of the unique Buchak archaeological complex (the village of Buchak, Cherkasy region), in particular the Kaniv Mountains, should be stopped, Dmytro Ivanov, a researcher at the State Historical and Cultural Reserve Trakhtemirov, has said.

"Not a single argument in favor of the construction of the Kaniv PSPP has grounds since we say that this territory is an object of historical, cultural and natural heritage. I appeal to the Prime Minister, Minister of Energy and the head of Ukrhydroenergo concerning that the idea of building the Kaniv PSPP is unacceptable, and this territory must be preserved," Ivanov said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

According to him, the significance of the lands around the village of Buchak and the Kaniv Mountains itself is so great that since 2000, on the initiative of three reserves, work has begun to grant the Kaniv Mountains a UNESCO World Heritage status as a natural and historical site.

As the scientist explained, the Kaniv Mountains could become the first Ukrainian mixed object of the cultural and natural heritage of UNESCO among approximately 40 such objects that exist in the world.

"It is another argument for the authorities that there can be no construction on this territory, especially destroying the landscape. We need to convince the authorities and explain the need to abandon the Kaniv PSPP," the scientist said, expressing confidence.

He added that the territory of the Kaniv Mountains, as a fairly integral ecosystem that has not yet experienced strong anthropogenic influence, has been considered since 2015 as one of the cores of the creation of a national park, and "the construction of a pumped storage power plant cannot in any way coincide with the National Park."

Ivanov expressed the opinion that the technology of maneuvering the power system with the help of water, the function of which is performed by a pumped-storage plant, is outdated. It has many alternatives, such as a power storage system. They do not require such large land construction work and do not bear any harm to the environment.

For his part, Tymur Bobrovsky, senior researcher at the Sophia Kyiv National Reserve, said that the Buchak archaeological complex is an outstanding attraction even against the background of the entire national Ukrainian archaeological wealth.

"We have such an accumulation of sights of different times, testifying to the almost continuous settlement and development of territories in this particular place for at least 2,500 years. These are monuments of exceptional significance. For example, such an accumulation of ancient Russian settlements associated with handicraft activities exists in the Kaniv Dnieper region, there is nowhere on the territory of Ukraine. There are also Cossack monuments, and it was the Cossacks who directly founded the village of Buchak," the scientist said.

He also said that these archaeological sites are very connected with the natural landscape formed in this territory. They are integrated into this landscape and contributed to its development.

"There are also ramparts of ancient settlements, scarped slopes that were associated with settlements of different times, and traces of ancient roads between ravines or along ravines, caves that have not yet been explored. It is a prospect for future research, and this complex will be replenished with new sights," Bobrovsky said.

According to him, to preserve these monuments, they passed state registration. Now, there is a question about their inclusion in the Public Register of Immovable Monuments of Ukraine. "And for sure, it should be entered into the public register as a monument of national importance because there is every reason to consider them as a complex of monuments," the scientist said.

Head of the National Ecological Center of Ukraine, Ph.D. in Geological Sciences Ruslan Havryliuk said that an objective public assessment of the impact of the Kaniv PSPP project on the environment has not yet been made.

"Kaniv PSPP has a long history [the project started back in Soviet times]. Finally, in 2016 this project was included in the hydropower development program but it was adopted contrary to the legislation and regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers. On this issue, our organization went to court and is still pursuing a lawsuit. The hydropower development program has not passed the strategic environmental assessment," Havryliuk said.

According to him, further regulation of the Dnipro River will have extremely negative consequences for the state of the river, which has already deteriorated significantly over the past 40-50 years.

"The pumped storage power plant will pump water with all the biodiversity that is in the Dnipro River. It is an additional impact on biodiversity, the ichthyofauna of the Kaniv reservoir and the Dnipro River, which for the most part has not been preserved in its natural state," the scientist said.

In addition, he pointed out that the territory where the PSPP construction is planned is a geologically active zone, and its additional load is the huge upper reservoir of the Kaniv PSPP, which should contain 17 million cubic meters of water, will lead to unpredictable consequences.

"We will create conditions for the activation of dangerous geological processes that are already taking place in this place," Havryliuk said.

At the same time, he added that power engineers are interested in this particular territory since there is the largest height difference in the Dnipro River valley.