Enerhodar - Home to an Impressive Nuclear Power Plant
Located in the banks of the Dnieper River, is the city of Enerhodar. It is in the north-west area of the Zaporizhzhya Oblast. At present, the population is estimated at approximately 47 000 residents. Interestingly, Enerhodar is home to a nuclear plant. Enerhobar was established on 12 June 1970 and for one reason only - to service Europe’s largest Nuclear Power Plant.
The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant makes use of the Kahovskoe Reservoir, which is located in the Dnieper River. There are two power lines, of which one was constructed in 1977 and the other in 1984. The first line runs on pylons that are at a height of 2 100 meters, and the line is 7900 meters long. This allows the lines to be laid safely over the water. The second line was constructed to transport the energy that was being produced by the power plant. These pylons are not as high as the first, being 1 100 meters, and the line is 6 126 meters in length. A new storage facility is being built to store nuclear fuel and construction should be completed by the end of 2008. In the past, spent fuel would be transported to Russia for storage, but with its own storage facility, the plant will save millions. The storage containers will be manufactured in Enerhodar, and each container should be able to last for a minimum of fifty years.
This beautiful city in the Zaporizhzhya Region has many development programs that are running in regard to education. One of these projects led to the donation of books to the Enerhodar City Central Library. The books were donated in 2006 by the Ukrainian Centre for Museum Development, that targeted the cities and towns of the Zaporizhzhya Oblast. Cities such as Enerhodar are constantly looking to improve their facilities and the quality of life that is provided for the residents.
Enerhodar was unfortunate enough to make the headlines of newspapers across Ukraine. The prolific Ukrainian serial killer, Anatoly Onoprienko, left his mark on the city in 1999. He was dubbed the ‘Terminator’ by the media and by the time he was caught, Onoprienko confessed to at least 52 murders; seven of them were Enerhodar residents.
Walking in such close proximity to one of the largest Nuclear Power Plants in the world is a rare opportunity. Enerhodar has many interesting sights and a colorful history to share. And it is looking forward to a successful future.