(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Energy Minister German Galushchenko of Ukraine says the situation in the energy sector is difficult following Russian strikes on the country's energy facilities so Ukraine needs more air defense capabilities to protect its energy assets from Russian missile attacks and avoid power outages in summer.
He said this in an interview with Bloomberg , reports Ukrinform.
It is noted that Russia's bombing of Ukrainian energy facilities in recent weeks has been larger and better planned than attacks in the previous two years. This led to the failure of generating capacities and limitation of energy supply.
"The destruction was significant – both in the power industry and in power transmission. The situation is complicated. We still do not understand the extent of the damage, as many facilities still lie in ruins so we cannot reach them," Galushchenko said.
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Total losses have not been officially calculated, although Galushchenko said they are already measured in billions of hryvnias and may continue to grow. According to him, the scale can reach billions of dollars.
Galushchenko noted that Ukraine is looking for necessary energy equipment all over the world - and in particular in neighboring countries - to replace its damaged equipment. However, the efforts may be in vain if Ukraine does not have enough air defense, he said.
Thermal and hydroelectric power plants of Ukraine became the main target of Russian attacks this spring. These strikes pose threats of not only the blackouts but also environmental disasters, Galushchenko emphasized.
Attacks on hydropower plants are acts of terrorism and war crimes, as they affect not only energy production, but also the operation of dams on rivers, explained the minister.
According to him, Russia's goal is to destroy the Ukrainian economy. More damage to the network will complicate the situation this summer, when consumption will peak, Galushchenko added.
Depending on the situation in July-August, the government might be asking consumers to save electricity as much as possible to not allow the repeat of blackouts of 2022-2023. Even in the event of huge losses, Ukraine has basic generation that covers 30% to 50% of the nation's needs, the minister said.
Galushchenko did not rule out higher electricity bills for households and noted that the government is studying various options for financing the repair of energy facilities. In June 2023, after the winter attacks, bills almost doubled in Kyiv.
Today, the situation is even more difficult, compared to last year, because Ukraine lost a lot of hydroelectric power and is forced to carry out scheduled repairs of nuclear units, he said.
As reported by Ukrinform, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said Russia destroyed 80% of the country's thermal power plants in recent weeks.
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