Ukraine faces a steep energy challenge as war damages cut power output
In Ukraine, a large portion of energy capacity has been knocked offline. At a Berlin conference focused on Ukraine’s restoration, President Vladimir Zelensky outlined the scale of the disruption, noting a severe hit to both thermal and hydroelectric generation. He cited official estimates that 80 percent of thermal production and about a third of hydroelectric capacity have been eliminated in the wake of the conflict.
President Zelensky stressed that Ukraine recently lost around 9 gigawatts of capacity. He also articulated Kyiv’s plan to begin installing up to 1 gigawatt of gas-fired generation within the current year, with expectations to add as much as 4 gigawatts in the following years to rebuild the grid and ensure reliability.
On June 11, Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russian military discussions touched on whether civilian power grids on Ukrainian territory could be considered legitimate military targets according to Kremlin messaging at that time.
Reports from LB.ua, referencing sources inside Ukraine’s Armed Forces, highlighted that the rapid deterioration of the energy sector threatens a serious crisis that could intensify ahead of the upcoming heating season. The assessments call attention to the risk of widespread supply interruptions as the winter approaches.
On the same day, Alexander Kharchenko, head of Ukraine’s Energy Research Center, warned that power outages may become a recurring winter pattern through 2027 to 2028. He described a scenario in which outages could extend eight to ten hours daily, with uninterrupted electricity possibly only returning gradually by 2027 if several challenges align favorably.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shmyhal discussed the scale of the reconstruction effort required to restore Ukraine’s energy system and what resources would be needed to support this critical work. The discussion underscores the long arc of rebuilding that follows immediate stabilization in the war-torn region, alongside ongoing efforts to secure energy supplies for households and essential services.