**NK News Report: “Repairs May Take Several Months”**
A recent analysis suggests that North Korea’s new hydroelectric power plant, which was close to starting operations, experienced a serious malfunction five months ago. NK News’s premium service, NK Pro, reported on this incident based on satellite image analysis. Between June 26 and June 29, a critical pressure burst occurred at one of the surge tanks of the Tanchon Hydroelectric Power Plant in South Hamgyong Province. This incident resulted in damage to two switchyards and the already completed Unit 6 power plant.
The Tanchon power plant is North Korea’s largest gravity-fed hydroelectric facility, designed to bring water from Samsu Reservoir through a 60 km tunnel, powering two turbines. The problematic surge tank was installed just 410 meters from the turbine hall at the tunnel’s end. Its purpose is to absorb and release water temporarily in response to pressure and flow changes, protecting the penstock pipes and turbine from water hammer effects, making it a critical safety feature.
NK Pro’s satellite imagery revealed that water explosively discharged from the surge tank, significantly eroding nearby slopes and sweeping away the Tanchon switchyards. Unit 6, the first completed in the 1st phase of Tanchon’s construction, was also severely damaged.
Though the exact cause remains unclear, potential issues include a malfunctioning mechanical gate at Samsu Reservoir’s intake or anomalies within the tunnel system, leading to excessive water levels. In either case, the surge tank likely experienced pressures beyond its design limits, culminating in a structural outburst.
The damage from this incident appears extensive. Recent high-resolution satellite images, analyzed by NK Pro, indicate that recovery efforts are underway. Of the two damaged switchyards, the larger has been fully restored, and the smaller is at least partially rebuilt. Debris around Unit 6 has mostly been cleared, and the penstock repair seems nearly complete externally. However, the surge tank that initiated the accident has yet to be reconstructed.
NK Pro also pointed out that while the structural complexity is low, making refurbishment relatively straightforward, approximately 85% of external facilities have been restored. They noted that key components like turbines, potentially imported from China, avoided significant damage.
The Tanchon Hydroelectric Power Plant is part of North Korea’s largest ongoing development project. Initially slated for completion in October 2020, the first phase faced numerous delays. Last November, Korean Central Television promoted that after years of delay, the plant was on the brink of completion.