Kyiv: Ukraine is gearing up for an unprecedented surge in electricity imports from five European countries in response to severe infrastructure damage inflicted by Russian strikes, the energy ministry disclosed.
In the wake of significant energy infrastructure damage caused by Russian strikes, Ukraine is set to ramp up its electricity imports from five European nations on Monday, the energy ministry revealed. The imports are projected to soar to 19,484 megawatt hours (Mwh), surpassing the previous record of 18,649 Mwh recorded at the end of March, following the initial wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector.
“The power system has been experiencing a significant electricity shortage for most of the day,” stated national power grid operator Ukrenergo on the Telegram messaging app. “The reason for this is large-scale damage to Ukrainian power plants, which means they cannot produce as much electricity as before the attack.”
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the ministry emphasized the urgent need for importing power to address the looming deficit in the system. Plans are underway to source electricity from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Moldova on Monday, underscoring the collaborative effort to alleviate Ukraine’s energy crisis.
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Emergency assistance from the European Union has already been extended from midnight until this morning, the grid operator confirmed, noting that power restrictions for industrial consumers are anticipated later in the day.
“Restricting consumption is a necessary measure to maintain the stability of the power system after the fifth targeted missile attack on power plants this year,” asserted the operator.
Last week’s coordinated assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure inflicted substantial damage on three thermal power plants, exacerbating the strain on the country’s power grid. Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s energy sector have escalated since March, inflicting significant damage and triggering blackouts across numerous regions.
According to Ukrainian energy minister German Galushchenko, the attacks have resulted in over $1 billion in damages to the sector. Thermal and hydropower facilities, along with power transmission systems, bore the brunt of the assaults, leading to the loss of approximately 80% of Ukraine’s thermal power generation capacity. This has further heightened reliance on the country’s three nuclear power plants, which account for roughly 50% of its electricity output.
