Continued Russian attacks on the energy grid have made Ukraine resort to taking massive amounts of power from neighbouring countries.
ADVERTISEMENTThe hall of the largest thermal power plant in western Ukraine, the location of which is undisclosed because of security reasons, resembles a repair shop. Instead of supervising the units' operation, employees salvage every component that can still be used.
Before the war, it was one of the region's key power plants. Now it can only generate heat for the neighbouring village.
The Russian shelling is also putting enormous pressure on the entire energy network in Ukraine, as it is targeting not only production facilities but also, for example, substations and the power grid.
"The shelling of thermal power plants and larger nodal substations has a critical impact on the operation of the power system. Their goal is simple: no energy, no economy. They are making huge efforts to destroy the Ukrainian energy sector," said Serhey, production control officer at the thermal power plant.
Ukraine is, therefore, unable to smoothly transfer energy from the west to the east. Many high-voltage lines are being overloaded, and the authorities in the various regions are having to carry out shutdowns.
People are without power for several hours every day. Ukraine is having to take massive amounts of power from neighbouring countries. In the last month alone, it has imported more energy than the whole of last year.
Because of attacks on energy sources such as thermal power stations, gas is becoming increasingly important in the country, and not only as a source of heat. And that is why Ukrainians across the country are still searching for new gas deposits and putting more and more gas wells into operation.
Ahead of winter, the Ukrainian government is encouraging authorities and businesses to buy large gas generators, but without major investment in new networks, these will only help locally.
Borrell: More energy support for Ukraine needed
On the other hand, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the next foreign minister meeting will be in Brussels, not Budapest, as a symbol that member states are critical of Hungary's stance on Ukraine.
He added he asked ministers to provide more power generation capacities to Ukraine.
"Putin wants to put Ukraine into the darkness and the cold, and that is why the coming two or three months will be crucial, and we don't have time to wait before the winter arrives," Borrell stated.
"I asked ministers to start mobilising now to provide more power generation capacities to Ukraine, contributing to the Ukrainian Energy Support Fund, which is also needed."