Ukraine is facing a cold and dark winter – This is how Russia has succeeded in destroying the energy infrastructure

Ukraine is facing a cold and dark winter. It lacks many gigawatts of electricity generation.

About 80 percent of Ukraine’s thermal power plants have been destroyed. A third of the country’s hydropower capacity is out of use. The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant is under Russian control.

International Energy Agency According to the IEA report constant power outages have already become commonplace in Ukraine, and in the worst-hit areas, power supply has been limited to a few hours a day.

“Ukraine’s energy system has survived two consecutive winters since the Russian invasion, but the third winter is about to be the harshest test,” the report states.

The stress on Ukraine’s electricity system is enormous, the IEA warns. Ukraine is increasingly dependent on the three nuclear power plants that are still in operation and the overloaded connections between these plants and the largest cities.

The EU is trying to help

Last week, the European Commission presented a program through which the Union intends to tackle this problem. The program has three pillars: repair, electricity export and stabilization.

The EU wants to help Ukraine repair the destroyed power plants and restore 2.5 gigawatts of production this winter. It would correspond to about fifteen percent of Ukraine’s needs.

Ukraine’s electricity grid was connected to the European electricity grid in 2022. The EU plans to export about two gigawatts of electricity to Ukraine this winter. It would cover about 12 percent of the country’s needs.

The pillar of energy stabilization means that the EU intends to promote decentralized energy production. For example, it plans to send solar panels to Ukrainian hospitals. The EU is also sending mobile gas turbines to Ukraine.

“Winter is approaching, and Russia continues its attacks on energy infrastructure. It tries in a blatant and malicious way to plunge your country into darkness,” the president of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated on Friday during his visit to Kyiv.

Last week, the EU announced a 160 million euro support package intended for energy production repairs and emergency equipment. Part of the money comes from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.