The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open • Hacker News Board

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#51

Post by sgc » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 5:51 AM UTC

dmix wrote: post #49

sgc wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless of what actually happened today, the high level was absolutely deliberate, it is just basic dam maintenance to let more water out when it fills. And that was absolutely reckless, contributing to certain deaths today. Of course, if you are planning on blowing the dam, that makes sense for maximum damage, but I speculate.

Maybe forcing a mechanical failure provides more plausible deniability than simply blowing it up? It also makes it easier to repair considering it's still a valuable source of water for Crimea.

A hydrologist on twitter said that it would require far fewer explosives to blow it up when overfilled. If they were short on those, it would be another reason.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#52

Post by daemoens » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 5:55 AM UTC

dralley wrote: post #2

Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nova-kakhovka-dam-khers... Simulation of worst-case scenarios: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tRYWbVD5AE The Russian State News agency claims that the dam "collapsed due to damage" https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/166592960325106892... Ukraine says it was destroyed by the Russian military. Google maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kakhovka+Hydroelectric+Po…

Remove the /mediaviewer from your final link, it's currently saying the tweet doesn't exist with /mediaviewer.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#53

Post by jnsaff2 » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 5:55 AM UTC

bullen wrote: post #46

I we focus on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe for a minute. Are all reactors completely shut off? Is there any danger of meltdown?

Reactors have been shut down for about half a year. So the hard part is over but they still need quite a bit of water.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#54

Post by cycomanic » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 5:56 AM UTC

edrxty wrote: post #24

antupis wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ukraine just started counterattack so this effectively blocks attack through Kherson region.

Following some of the threads, there's satellite evidence it may have just failed for mechanical reasons. If this was unintentional and they didn't abandon those positions downstream they're in for a bad time.

Did you look at the video posted above? A big chunk of concrete like that doesn't just fail for mechanical reasons (what does that even mean?).

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#55

Post by fbdab103 » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 6:02 AM UTC

dmix wrote: post #49

sgc wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless of what actually happened today, the high level was absolutely deliberate, it is just basic dam maintenance to let more water out when it fills. And that was absolutely reckless, contributing to certain deaths today. Of course, if you are planning on blowing the dam, that makes sense for maximum damage, but I speculate.

Maybe forcing a mechanical failure provides more plausible deniability than simply blowing it up? It also makes it easier to repair considering it's still a valuable source of water for Crimea.

Easier to repair? Did you see the pictures? Not an engineer, but that looks like they will have to tear down whatever is still standing and rebuild from scratch.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#56

Post by friend_and_foe » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 6:03 AM UTC

mantas wrote: post #31

wolverine876 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have a credible source that goes into detail on that, I'd appreciate it.

There's no significant drinking water source in Crimea. And this was the dam directing water to Crimean water channel. Not sure what other credible source you may want.

A credible source that they're about to abandon Crimea would be nice.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#57

Post by Scarblac » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 6:03 AM UTC

dehrmann wrote: post #29

perihelions wrote: post #11

This article currently has much more information (as of the time of posting) https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/jun/06/russia-uk... ( "Russia-Ukraine war live: dam near Kherson destroyed by Russian forces, says Ukraine, sparking evacuations" )

[flagged]

That's a detail. Crimea did without that canal from 2014 to 2022.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#58

Post by timeon » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 6:03 AM UTC

dehrmann wrote: post #29

perihelions wrote: post #11

This article currently has much more information (as of the time of posting) https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/jun/06/russia-uk... ( "Russia-Ukraine war live: dam near Kherson destroyed by Russian forces, says Ukraine, sparking evacuations" )

[flagged]

> shifting blame game

No need for game: if Russia did not invade, this would not happen.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#59

Post by DanHulton » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 6:03 AM UTC

Scarblac wrote: post #30

tivert wrote: post #8

So: 1. What side does this help? 2. How does this action help that side?

It's firstly a gigantic humanitarian disaster with likely many many dead, pure act of terrorism.

Not the first, almost certainly won't be the last.

Re: The Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric dam in Ukraine has been blown open

#60

Post by jnsaff2 » Tue, Jun 06, 2023, 6:04 AM UTC

jnsaff2 wrote: post #53

bullen wrote: post #46

I we focus on the largest nuclear power plant in Europe for a minute. Are all reactors completely shut off? Is there any danger of meltdown?

Reactors have been shut down for about half a year. So the hard part is over but they still need quite a bit of water.

More info:

> "Water from the Kakhovsky Reservoir is necessary for the station to receive power for turbine capacitors and safety systems of the ZNPP. The station's cooling pond is now full: as of 8:00 a.m., the water level is 16.6 meters, which is sufficient for the station's needs."

Source: https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/166595989648168550...