Ukraine races to fix power grid, fearing Russian winter attacks — minister

German Valeriiovych Galushchenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Energy, during a breakout meeting on power of transformation and building back better in the energy sector at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, in London on June 21, 2023. (Reuters)

• "The most extensive repair campaign in the history of energy facilities is currently under way in Ukraine," said Energy Minister German Galushchenko
• Ukraine has nearly doubled electricity tariffs for consumers since June 1 to find funds to prepare for winter

KYIV: Ukraine is carrying out the largest campaign of repairs in modern history to its power system to prepare for another winter of possible Russian air strikes, its energy minister said on Thursday.
Missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure following Russia’s full-scale invasion last year caused sweeping blackouts and water outages for millions of Ukrainians during the winter.
“The most extensive repair campaign in the history of energy facilities is currently under way in Ukraine,” Energy Minister German Galushchenko was quoted as saying by his ministry on the Telegram messenger.
“Power generation and distribution facilities are being restored, and work is under way to strengthen the power system’s resilience to military challenges.”
Ukraine has nearly doubled electricity tariffs for consumers since June 1 to find funds to prepare for winter, when energy consumption is typically at its highest.
About 43 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been damaged in air strikes, state-owned power distributor Ukrenergo estimates. Some 70 percent of its substations have been attacked at least twice, it says.
The energy ministry on Tuesday issued its latest appeal to Ukrainians to reduce use of electric appliances, especially in the evenings, saying power consumption was rising because of hot weather.