Ukraine Restarts Electricity Exports After Six-Month Hiatus Due to Russian Attacks

Ukraine is now able to export electricity for the first time in six months, following the recovery of its energy infrastructure from sustained Russian attacks. Since October, Russia has been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing power outages and scheduled blackouts that left cities and towns without electricity throughout winter.

As a result, Ukraine was compelled to halt electricity exports. However, with the energy system now producing surplus capacity, the country can resume selling excess power. Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko signed an executive order authorizing exports, while emphasizing that local customers remain the priority. He confirmed that Ukrainians have not faced restrictions for almost two months.

Halushchenko praised the “titanic work” of engineers and international partners who contributed to the energy system’s restoration. He announced, “The most difficult winter has passed,” and added that exporting electricity will allow Ukraine to secure additional financial resources for rebuilding the damaged energy infrastructure.

Residents across Ukraine have reported that power supplies are becoming more reliable. Inna Shtanko, a mother in Dnipro, expressed relief that streetlights had returned and that walking the city streets no longer felt frightening.

However, Ukrenergo, the operator of Ukraine’s electricity network, cautioned that Russian attacks might not cease. The company revealed that more than 1,200 missiles and drones have targeted Ukraine’s energy facilities during the war, describing it as the largest attempt to destroy a European country’s energy system.

Civilians in Ukrainian cities resorted to using “resilience centers” during power cuts and freezing temperatures this winter. These hubs provided power, heat, and basic supplies such as food and medicine. Since Russia began targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, every thermal and hydroelectric power plant in the country has been damaged, and Kyiv has lost control of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia.

In June 2022, Ukraine had anticipated earning €1.5 billion (£1.33 billion) from electricity exports to the European Union, its primary energy export market since the start of the war, by the end of the year.