Missile event in Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant area, Ukraine on Mon 31st October 2022

The Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) is located near the border between Ukraine and Moldova, at the junction of Vinnytsia and Chernivtsi regions. It is also called the Novodnistrovska HPP, to distinguish it from the Dniester Pumped Storage Power Plant (HAPS) and Dniester HPP-2, both of which are located in the Vinnytsia region.

On October 31, 2022, the Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant was struck by a Russian missile attack. For security reasons, official reports did not provide detailed information about the damage, but the head of the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration, Ruslan Zaparanuk, mentioned that critical infrastructure was hit and a fire broke out at the site.

In Moldova, the explosions caused panic. A smoke column near the Dniester HPP was filmed from surrounding towns, including Oknytsia, where residents reported hearing three to five explosions. Zaparanuk later confirmed that the damage was severe and had noticeable effects on Ukraine's overall energy system. Eight people suffered minor injuries, mostly cuts, and emergency services worked to contain the situation.

Ukrenergo reported that on the same day, Russian forces also targeted the Dnipro and Kremenchuk hydroelectric power plants. These strikes were part of a series of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in autumn 2022, which ultimately led to blackouts and hourly power outage schedules, leaving some cities without electricity for several days.

The Dniester HPP is the second-largest hydroelectric station in Ukraine, with a total installed capacity of 702 MW, making it a critical part of the national energy system.