Ukraine has a ‘short-term’ plan to help survive winter season – DTEK energy company

Source: Financial Times

Ukraine has worked out a strategy to keep energy system operations ‘stable’  for the coming winter, though long-term energy security will require “decentralizing the power grid, said DTEK CEO Maksym Tymchenko on Monday.  as the country is bracing for the rough energy shortages amidst the ongoing war.

Meanwhile, former Ukrenergo head Volodymyr Kudrytskyi argued the potential damage to power plants can be a more serious challenge compared to the situation where substations are targeted, as the latter are easier to repair.

He also cautioned that the country will not hardly able to avoid power shortages and blackouts during the cold months  although their severity will depend on how well the power plants are protected by the air defenses.

Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko has faced criticism for delays in the “decentralization”, which was slated to start back in 2022. Ministry officials argued the plan is ready but its details are classified due to sedurity concerns.

With continuous Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the energy supply situation remains tense. Over the last 8 months,  Russiahas launched at least nine large-scale attacks that put a big dent into Ukraine’s electricity generation.