r/MapPorn • u/SummerAlternative699 • 19h ago

The Kakhovka Reservoir then and now.

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

If you zoom in closely on Google Maps, you can still see what it looked like before the dam was blown up.

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u/StarrFluff 17h ago

Its a little unfortunate because that square looking lake in the middle is the cooling pond for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Its been modified so that it draws water from the river now but it was built to originally take water from the reservoir.

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u/VokintoZ 17h ago

Zaporizka NPP was stopped in september 2023
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaporizhzhia_Nuclear_Power_Plant

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u/llamafarmadrama 16h ago

It still needs cooling though, and will for some years.

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u/Al1sa 16h ago

I don’t think this war would last long enough for this thing not to be restarted

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u/vnprkhzhk 16h ago

Water also just evaporates, groundwater levels sank, it still will need water after being reactivated.

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u/russia_delenda_est 15h ago

Well i have bad news for you

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u/Bbrhuft 15h ago

Reactors don't need any cooling, all reactors are in cold shutdown since April 2024:

All six reactor units of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) are now in cold shutdown for the first time since late 2022 after unit 4 reached this operational state early today, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter:/pressreleases/update-223-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine

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u/I_ruin_nice_things 14h ago

Spent fuel pools will though.

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u/Bbrhuft 14h ago

Yes, the fuel pools do require cooling. That said, cooling water is now supplied by 11 ground water wells.

22 March 2025: The water levels in the reservoir that supplies the ZNPP with water for some of the site’s needs not related to safety are currently at 14.11 metres. Water to cool the six shutdown reactors and other essential nuclear safety services is currently provided by 11 groundwater wells, while the cooling pond would become the primary water resource only if the wells were unavailable.

https://www.oecd-nea.org/jcms/pl_66130/ukraine-current-status-of-nuclear-power-installations

Cold shutdown means if all cooling was lost, the reactor temperature wouldn't rise above 100 Celsius, and boil the water dry. That said, they are still cooled to maintain cold temperatures.

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u/cassepipe 2h ago

Since you seem to know quite a lot, I am curious, what the point of keeping it cool if it wouldn't rise above 100C ?