Due to the unpredictability of attacks from the Russian Federation and their consequences for the energy system, no forecasts can be made regarding the autumn-winter period of 2024/2025. However, Ukraine has undertaken and continues to conduct significant preparations in all possible directions, stated Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
"We do not provide any forecasts regarding what the situation will be like in winter. It depends on many factors, primarily the intensity of Russian attacks on our energy system. These are obvious things. Therefore, we are preparing in all possible directions," he said at the 10th International Economic Forum (KIEF) in Kyiv on Thursday.
According to the Prime Minister, one of these directions is the development of distributed generation, for which businesses can take advantage of state support programs to install alternative energy sources.
"Just yesterday, we held an energy council; 900 MW plus more than 200 additional capacities will be installed and operational by the end of this year," Shmyhal noted.
He also pointed out that Ukraine has agreed to increase (from December 1 – ER) the physical volume of electricity imports from Europe from 1.7 GW to 2.1 GW, and also has separate agreements for additional emergency assistance provided by the transmission system operators of neighboring countries. According to him, businesses can also import electricity to protect themselves from potential outages in winter due to the destruction of energy facilities by the enemy.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Ukraine has formed a sufficiently large reserve of energy equipment, gas, and coal.
"All this preparation gives us cautious optimism regarding the passage of this winter in energy terms," the head of government concluded.
As reported, the Prime Minister's advisor Yuriy Boyko stated at a briefing on November 6 that energy workers have managed to restore more than 3 GW of the 9 GW capacity destroyed during the massive attacks by the Russian Federation in the spring.