Ukraine has begun large-scale preparations of its power system for the next heating season, which, according to government forecasts, could be no less difficult than the previous one. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during the Ukraine Recovery Conference. According to him, infrastructure preparations are being carried out in close cooperation with international partners, and the protection plan includes several critically important stages.
New architecture: from centralization to autonomy
The main priority is changing the very structure of the power grid. Authorities admit that the traditional centralized system is too vulnerable to modern attacks. In this regard, the government is changing its approach, moving to a model of "energy cells" — a multi-level autonomous structure.
As part of the generation strategy, the plan is not only to restore 10 GW of damaged capacity but also to create about 3 gigawatts of new decentralized facilities. These installations will be able to operate autonomously and will be significantly less vulnerable to missile strikes. In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers has launched a large-scale decentralization plan, stimulating the development of "green" generation in communities. The state will finance new renewable energy projects with a total capacity of up to 1 GW, allocating special quotas for wind, solar, and biogas plants.
Multi-level protection and international support
The second key direction is the creation of a multi-level system for protecting energy facilities from missile and drone strikes. Authorities are actively strengthening air defense to minimize the risk of outages during peak periods.
Preparations are coordinated with the European Commission and the Energy Support Fund. On the eve of the heating season, the fourth meeting in the format of the "Energy Ramstein" was successfully held, where issues of technical and financial assistance were discussed.
Economic pressure and challenges
In addition to technical measures, Ukraine is calling on partners to increase sanctions pressure on Russia. The goal is to exacerbate the economic situation in Russia to force Moscow to sit down at the negotiating table.
Denys Shmyhal emphasized that the coming winter will be a decisive battle for Ukraine's energy sector. "Regardless of whether it will be a winter during the war or the war will already be over, this winter will be difficult, and we must be ready for it," the Prime Minister stated, adding that confidence in success is based on a comprehensive approach to the restoration and protection of infrastructure.