During Question Time to the Government, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal briefed Members of Parliament on urgent measures being taken to address the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.
According to him, the Government has allocated more than UAH 50 billion to strengthen the protection of energy infrastructure.
“A headquarters has been established to address the consequences of Russian shelling of energy facilities in Kyiv and the Kyiv region. It is already operating intensively around the clock. We are increasing the number of resilience points. Particular attention is being paid to Kyiv, but all regions remain in focus. Support points have been identified and are being equipped with additional heating, food, device-charging facilities, and communications,” Denys Shmyhal emphasized.
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy stressed that priority in electricity and heat supply is being given to hospitals, schools, and other facilities critical to life and national defense. Ukrzaliznytsia, Naftogaz, and Ukroboronprom have been instructed to urgently ensure the purchase of imported electricity in volumes covering at least 50 percent of their own consumption.
An inventory of available resources is underway, along with their redistribution, to ensure that assistance is provided first to those most in need.
Denys Shmyhal also noted that close cooperation with international partners continues in order to attract additional equipment and increase electricity imports from the European Union.
A key area of work is the simplification and acceleration of procedures for connecting backup power equipment to the grid. The time required for connection, review, approvals, and the issuance of technical specifications has been reduced to two days for each stage.
According to Denys Shmyhal, the development of distributed generation is demonstrating positive progress.
“If 225 MW of capacity was commissioned in 2024, 762 MW will be commissioned in 2025. The strongest performance is seen in the Kyiv, Volyn, Prykarpattia, Cherkasy, and Kharkiv regions, while one of the weakest indicators is in the city of Kyiv. More than 250 cogeneration units have already been commissioned, with another 200 at various stages of implementation. In addition, 187 block-modular boiler houses have been installed,” the Minister stated.
However, given the critical condition of the energy sector, this pace remains insufficient. There are cases where equipment has already been delivered, but installation is delayed due to technical issues or incomplete documentation. “This is absolutely unacceptable. There will be personal responsibility, and we will significantly accelerate the process,” Denys Shmyhal stressed.
He also called on businesses to switch off outdoor advertising, including lighting, screens, and other energy-intensive installations. “If you have surplus electricity, give it to people rather than to bright advertising,” he said.
Regarding curfew regulations, it was noted that people will now be allowed to move without special permits and use transport to reach shelters and warming centers. In practice, the same approach will apply as during air raid alerts.
As for the gas supply situation, Denys Shmyhal assured that it remains under control. Imports and domestic production continue. Despite enemy attacks, Ukraine has sufficient fuel reserves and functioning supply routes. In December, record import volumes for the past year were reached. Since the beginning of this year, more than 220,000 tonnes of fuel have been imported, with thousands of tonnes of gasoline and diesel entering Ukraine daily. This ensures stable reserves equivalent to more than 20 days of average consumption. The Government remains in constant contact with market participants and logistics providers to respond promptly to any changes.
“I sincerely thank energy workers, heating engineers, utility services, rescuers, and police officers who continue to deliver results under extremely difficult conditions. Russia is attempting to break us through energy terrorism. We fully understand the scale of the challenges and are responding to them swiftly and effectively,” Denys Shmyhal concluded.
