On June 23, the media reported that the Russian occupiers had begun dismantling and exporting Ukraine’s largest solar power plant, Tokmak Solar Energy, located in Zaporizhia. This was first reported by Vlasti.net information resource with a link to local residents. According to them, they have been packaging and exporting solar panels for a long time.

At the same time the Terminal media refuted power plant theft. The message refers to an employee who is “related to the company.”

For confirmation or refuting of the news they began to look for in satellite images. A few hours ago on Reddit appeared a post with photos of solar power plants. The photo shows how several parts of the station became lighter, but it is unknown from which source these pictures were taken.

Did the Russian occupiers steal Tokmak Solar Energy, Ukraine's largest solar power plant? We are trying to figure it out
Did the Russian occupiers steal Tokmak Solar Energy, Ukraine's largest solar power plant? We are trying to figure it out

In the latest Maxar satellite imagery taken two days ago, you can see that the solar panels are still in place. At least, the recognizable shape of the power plant remains intact.

Did the Russian occupiers steal Tokmak Solar Energy, Ukraine’s largest solar power plant? We are trying to figure it out

Therefore, so far we can not say for sure about the theft or damage to the solar panels of the station, but it should be noted that other equipment can be taken out, and it will not be visible in satellite images.

Tokmak Solar Energy is the largest solar power plant in Ukraine. It is reported that its area was 96 hectares, which is approximately equal to 100 football fields. Power plant capacity – 50 MW.

The project of the solar power plant began in 2012, when a 10 MW SES was put into operation in the village of Nove, Zaporizhia region. At that time the power plant occupied 32 hectares. Tokmak Solar Energy is a dealer of the Japanese company Sharp, a leader in photovoltaic equipment, and the Austrian company Fronius, which manufactures inverters.

The power plant had unique developments of Ukrainian scientists. According to the official site Tokmak Solar Energy, two solar module technologies were used in its construction: thin-film (amorphous) and polycrystalline.

“We used two types of solar modules. This allowed us to conduct research to find out which equipment is most suitable for our latitude. To date, we have come to the unequivocal conclusion that both types of equipment can be used in Ukraine. Both equipment have their pros and cons. Thin-film equipment works better in diffused light, and polycrystalline works better in clear sunny weather “, says the company’s website.