Electricity production at HPPs increases due to abnormal winter flood – Ukrhydroenergo

KYIV. Feb 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – As a result of the abnormal winter flood in the Ukrainian river basins, which is observed this winter, production of electricity at hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) has increased, according to the website of PrJSC Ukrhydroenergo on Thursday.

“This winter, we are seeing an anomalous flash-rain flood… Such weather conditions are favorable for hydropower. This allows hydrogeneration to work powerfully and supply more electricity to Ukraine’s power system,” the company noted.

According to the company, such a natural phenomenon for lowland rivers is quite rare and occurs once every tens of years.

Currently, winter floods are observed, in particular, in the basins of the Dnipro, Sozh, Desna, and Prypiat Rivers.

“For the Desna River, this flood is a record. The water level in the river is the highest in the last 129 years,” the website says.

According to hydropower specialists, this is primarily due to the unstable hydrological situation in January, which was characterized by alternating periods of warming and cooling. In particular, the snow cover alternated with the melting of snow during thaws.

Ukrhydroenergo added that during the period of operation of the Kyiv reservoir, a high inflow was also noted in January 2018, and in January 1999 it corresponded to the current level of inflow. In the Kaniv reservoir, an inflow close to the current level was recorded in January 1981 and January 2018.