Tokmak Solar Energy Explained

Tokmak Solar Energy was the largest solar power plant in Ukraine, with total area of 96 hectares (100 soccer fields) and the power capacity of 50 MW.^{[1] [2]} It is located on the north side of the city of Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.^{[3] [4] [5]} It was initially reported that it was dismantled and stolen by Russian soldiers when they occupied the city of Tokmak in Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however, this was not confirmed, apart from being partly damaged.^{[6] [7] [8]}

History

Tokmak Solar Energy LLC or Green Energy Tokmak was established on June 9, 2011.

The station was opened in 2018. The capacity of the first stage was 11 MW, and was later increased to 50 MW.^[9] The construction of the power station cost 45 million euros. The power plant supplies energy to six districts of Zaporizhia Oblast.

On 23 June 2022, it was reported that during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian occupation forces stole the solar panels and took them to Russia.^{[10] [11] [12]} However, a day later this was denied by a related employee speaking to Ukrainian news outlet Terminal. Aerial imagery collected by Nexta showed that most of the panels seemed to be in place, although some reports stated that the occupiers plan is to 'quietly dismantle' them.^[13]

Later, the co-owner of the plant and Special Representative for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleksandr Repkin, stated to DELO.ua that it was not dismantled, but rather partially damaged by Russian BM-21 Grad rocket fire and a Russian tank running over some of the panels. The Russians had looted the plant office and have occasionally stolen inverters and cables, and a section of the plant is off limits for personnel as it is included in a restricted area based around a nearby military airfield. Due to these factors, Repkin stated that the plant's output is down 20% and the current capacity is around 40 MW.^[14]

References

47.278°N 35.721°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2022-06-23 . Trending news: Ukraine accuses Russian military of stealing country's largest solar power plant - The Moscow Times . 2022-06-25 . Hindustan News Hub . en-US.
2. Web site: 2022-06-23 . Russia Stole Ukraine's Largest Solar Plant - KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice . 2022-06-25 . KyivPost.
3. Web site: Spanish company will invest €55 million into largest solar power plant in Ukraine . 2022-06-25 . Stockworld - Mainstream portal on stock market.
4. Web site: Yatsenko . Elena . 22 June 2022 . Россияне украли крупнейшую в Украине солнечную электростанцию .
5. Web site: Оккупанты украли крупнейшую в Украине солнечную электростанцию - СМИ — Delo.ua . 2022-06-25 . delo.ua . ru.
6. Web site: Ashkenaz . Antony . 2022-06-23 . Putin's thugs dismantled and steal Ukraine's largest solar power plant in huge energy blow . 2022-06-25 . Express.co.uk . en.
7. Web site: Russian army steals Ukraine's biggest solar power plant: report . 2022-06-25 . PolskieRadio.pl.
8. Web site: Yatseno . Olena . 2022-06-23 . The media denied that russian looters stole the largest SES in Ukraine . 2023-07-22 . EcoPolitic - ЭкоПолитика . en-US.
9. Web site: В Запорожской области ввели в эксплуатацию первую очередь крупнейшей в Украине солнечной электростанции . 2022-07-28 . www.unian.net . ru.
10. Web site: Окупанти викрали найбільшу в Україні сонячну електростанцію . 2022-06-25 . glavcom.ua . 23 June 2022 . uk.
11. Web site: Карпусь . Вадим Карпусь Вадим . Российские оккупанты разворовывают и вывозят компоненты солнечной электростанции Тоkmak Solar Energy . 2022-06-25 . ITC.ua.
12. Web site: Окупанти демонтували та вкрали одну з найбільших в Україні сонячних електростанцій — ЗМІ . 2022-06-25 . biz.nv.ua . uk.
13. Web site: Zhyla . Nadiya . 2022-06-24 . Confirmed: the occupiers are dismantling and stealing the Tokmak Solar Energy solar power plant . 2023-07-22 . Mezha.Media.
14. Web site: 2022-06-24 . Співвласник сонячної електростанції біля Токмака спростував її вивіз окупантами: що відбувається насправді — Delo.ua . 2023-07-22 . delo.ua . uk.