Shmyhal names key energy challenges for Ukraine

During “Question Time” in the Verkhovna Rada, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal outlined the country’s immediate priorities in the energy sector.

• Ensuring an uninterrupted supply of fuel to the Armed Forces, the agricultural sector, businesses, and the retail sector.

“A global fuel crisis is unfolding due to the war in Iran. Our primary task is to ensure the availability of resources. Priorities: the Armed Forces, the planting season, businesses, and retail trade. In March, Ukraine has already imported nearly 250,000 tons of gasoline, diesel, and liquefied gas. Reserves contain nearly 100,000 tons each of gasoline and diesel.”

• Regarding power outages: in some regions, there are no outages at all. In other regions, 1 or 1.5-hour rotations are in effect.

“The deficit at peak consumption is about 1 GW. Nuclear power plants, thermal power plants, hydroelectric power plants, and pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants are operating. There are no system-wide restrictions during peak hours across the country. Despite some improvement in the situation, the heating season is still ongoing, as are the enemy’s constant attempts to destroy our power grid.”
According to him, 3.5 GW of generating capacity at thermal power plants, combined heat and power plants, and hydroelectric power plants has already been partially restored. “The plan is to restore approximately 4 GW. Specifically, there is a possibility of restoring more than 2 GW by the end of May. Our engineering delegations are working in the EU to obtain equipment from decommissioned power plants. Since the start of the full-scale war, 1.5 GW of distributed generation has been commissioned.”

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  Security of energy facilities
  . “Active protection means air defense. We have a successful pilot project involving critical infrastructure enterprises in the air defense system. We continue to build passive protection systems—shelters for energy facilities. Work on Level II protection is ongoing at 84 substations and 134 critical elements.”

• Stockpiling resources for next winter. By the end of this heating season, there will be 9.5 billion cubic meters of gas in storage. The goal is at least 13 billion cubic meters by the start of the next heating season.

• 
  Strengthening cooperation with partners
  : “We have a plan for this year to attract about 5 billion euros from international partners. Ukraine has proposed a new coordination format—‘Energy Ramstein.’ The next meeting will take place in Brussels as early as next week. We are working to increase transmission capacity for electricity imports from Europe. The goal for the next two years is 3.5 GW and above.”