Kurakhove TPP was dismantled for spare parts to repair other power stations – media

In just a few months, due to the threat of an advance on Kurakhove in the Donetsk oblast, workers at the Kurakhove Thermal Power Plant (TPP) dismantled it for spare parts to repair other damaged power stations belonging to the DTEK holding. This was reported by zn.ua, citing The Wall Street Journal.

Initially, efforts were made to keep the plant operational despite constant shelling. However, in the spring, after russians destroyed a bridge used for coal deliveries to the facility, the decision was made to dismantle the plant.

The dismantling process was complex. Some equipment weighed tens of tons, causing cables to snap like threads, and workers had to use two cranes simultaneously. With the railway destroyed, the spare parts had to be transported by trucks, which required reinforcing bridges first to prevent them from collapsing under the weight.

The operation was nearly completed by the end of the summer, leaving behind boilers and parts that couldn't be transported. DTEK notes that, when the situation allows, they plan to restore the station.

The spare parts from the Kurakhove TPP have helped restore over 60% of the energy capacity lost by the state after russian aerial terror since spring. Considering that at the worst point, the company had only 10% of its generation capacity, this progress is significant.

"Buying new equipment for power stations isn't as simple as just picking it off a shelf. Waiting for scarce new equipment for months wasn’t an option", - the media explained. "DTEK tried sourcing parts from other countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Greece), but these negotiations either hit dead ends or dragged on for too long".