Russia will rebuild the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (KHPP), which was partially destroyed by Ukraine in June, and work is already under way on the design, Vladimir Saldo, acting governor of Russia's Kherson Region, told Sputnik.
"I think that no matter how much money is required [to rebuild the KHPP], this is an economically expedient project and it will pay off," Saldo said.
"So it is not a matter of funds, but of desire and expediency. There are such intentions, and plans are already being designed."
Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said the KHPP needed to be restored as the water supply of Crimea, as well as Russia's Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, depends on it.
Early on June 6, Ukrainian troops launched a series of strikes on the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, destroying its upper part. The destruction led to an uncontrollable release of water from the Kakhovka Reservoir and the flooding of some areas of the Kherson Region downstream of the Dnepr River.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the plant destruction a barbaric act by the Kiev regime and noted that it led to a large-scale environmental and humanitarian disaster. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said the Kiev regime blew up the KHPP as it weakened its positions in the Kherson direction, transferring troops from there to the offensive area.