Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant
“A hydrological alert was issued due to a significant reduction in water resources in the Dniester River basin. As of July 27, the water level in the Dniester Reservoir stood at 113.24 meters, compared to the normal level of 121 meters. At the same time, there is a risk that the water discharge from the Novodnestrovsk Reservoir will fall below the safe threshold of 100 cubic meters per second, which could affect the operation of water intake stations and the water supply,” according to a government statement on the matter.
The authorities will assess alternative water sources, conduct an inventory of water intake points from the Dniester and its tributaries, and prepare backup water intake wells. At the same time, operators will update their plans to ensure uninterrupted water supply, including by reducing network losses, and the Ministry of the Environment will continuously monitor the hydrological situation.
To coordinate these measures, the government has approved the immediate entry into force of provisions authorizing the activities of a national crisis commission headed by the prime minister. The commission will ensure continuous assessment of the situation, coordination of actions among agencies, and the prompt adoption of necessary decisions.
What Do Experts Say?
In comments to Logos Press, experts in the field of hydrology noted that a strict alert status could mean a rotation schedule—that is, periodic water supply to settlements from the Dniester. In such a situation, it will likely be necessary to deliver water by tanker trucks to meet the population’s needs. It is also likely that irrigation of farmland using river water will be reduced or temporarily suspended.
However, the outcome of the meeting of the Moldovan-Ukrainian commission on the Dniester, scheduled for July 31, will be of the greatest importance. In the worst-case scenario—which would be unacceptable for Chisinau’s water supply—the Ukrainian side would be notified of a reduction in the water release from the Dniester Reservoir into the Moldovan sector of the river to 70 cubic meters per second. It is to be hoped that the Moldovan delegation at the meeting will be able to insist on a compromise—a water release rate of 80–90 cubic meters per second.
Experts assert that the Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant could be shut down once the water level in the reservoir drops to the “dead zone” of 102 meters.
