Summer in Ukraine promises to be more stable in terms of power supply than previous periods, although it is impossible to completely rule out the risk of outages. This was stated by the head of the board of "Ukrenergo" Vitaliy Zaychenko in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
The expert noted that the situation in the power grid this summer has improved significantly compared to last year. Thanks to the development of distributed generation, the construction of new power plants with an increased level of protection, and the modernization of substations, the chances of operating without restrictions remain high — provided there are no enemy attacks.
Threats remain: how the system works during attacks
Zaychenko emphasized that the enemy has thoroughly studied the structure of the Ukrainian power grid and is deliberately attacking key facilities. Hits on large generating capacities have already been recorded this week (June 15–20). At the same time, data on distributed generation remains hidden, although the enemy is actively trying to obtain it — drone strikes on new small energy installations have already been recorded in frontline regions.
In the event of massive attacks on generation, the system will be forced to balance the load through restrictions and scheduled outages. During peak periods, especially when temperatures exceed +30°C, outages could last up to 5 hours. The daytime zone is planned to be covered by nuclear generation, imports, and renewable sources, but evening peaks will require consumer participation.
Future plan: new capacities and accelerated connection
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is considering the possibility of significantly reducing the launch time for new generating capacities from renewable sources. Improving the process of connecting substations and infrastructure to the grid will help reduce the risk of outages and increase system resilience.
In April, First Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal announced a new tender for the construction of 1.3 GW of generating capacity. This refers to maneuvering capacities, storage systems, and new generation in points where the power grid experiences a technical deficit.
This winter, Ukraine faced prolonged power outages due to mass shelling by Russia. The situation has now stabilized, but the threat remains. It is important to understand: even with improved infrastructure, outages are possible — but they will be less extensive and prolonged than during the winter period.
