The government has approved a resolution on a pilot project to start rebuilding the Kakhovka hydro power plant, which was blown up by Russians, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced at a government meeting.
"An important element of support for our agricultural sector will be the restoration of irrigation systems in southern Ukraine. The Kakhovka HPP has played and will continue to play an important role in this regard," Shmyhal said.
"The project is designed for two years. At the first stage, we will design all engineering structures and prepare the necessary basis for restoration. The second stage will begin after the de-occupation of the territories where the hydroelectric power plant is located. It involves the actual construction work."
By autumn, the main water pipelines in Dnipropetrovsk Region are to be laid to supply water to towns and villages affected by the Kakhovka HPP explosion.
The Russians mined the Kakhovka HPP in the first days of the invasion of Ukraine and blew it up at 02:50 on 6 June 2023.
The issue of restoring the power plant and dam arose immediately after its destruction. The absence of the reservoir makes farming and water supply to the population difficult in southern Ukraine. Lack of moisture can cause soil erosion and force a change from fruit and vegetable growing to livestock farming, which was traditional in this region until the nineteenth century.