Ukraine Restores 3.5 GW of Energy Capacity, Plans for Another 4 GW

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Ukraine has successfully overcome the most challenging winter during the war, despite extensive damage to the energy infrastructure due to Russian attacks. Since the beginning of the heating season, the enemy has incapacitated over 9 gigawatts of generation and dozens of electricity distribution facilities, creating significant challenges for the country’s energy system.

This is reported by AgroReview

Situation with Energy Resources and Generation

Shmyhal outlined six key issues in the sector, including the provision of fuel for the army and the agricultural sector, as well as the restoration of damaged infrastructure. Against the backdrop of a global fuel crisis, Ukraine imported about 250,000 tons of gasoline, diesel fuel, and liquefied gas in March. Almost 100,000 tons of gasoline and diesel remain in reserve.

In some regions, there are currently no power outages, while in others, there are rolling blackouts lasting one or one and a half hours. The peak power deficit is about 1 GW, with power plants of various types operating. The minister emphasized that the heating season is still ongoing, and enemy attacks on the energy system continue.

Reconstruction and Protection of Energy Infrastructure

According to Shmyhal, Ukraine has already restored 3.5 GW of capacity at thermal power plants (TPPs), combined heat and power plants (CHPPs), and hydroelectric power plants (HPPs), and plans to restore another approximately 4 GW. In particular, more than 2 GW is expected to return to the energy system by the end of May. Ukrainian engineering delegations are collaborating with EU countries to obtain equipment from decommissioned stations.

“We have partially restored 3.5 GW of generating capacity at TPPs, CHPPs, and HPPs. We plan to restore approximately 4 GW. In particular, by the end of May, there is a possibility of restoring more than 2 GW. Our engineering delegations are working in the EU to obtain equipment from decommissioned stations.”

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, 1.5 GW of distributed generation has been put into operation. An experimental project is also actively being implemented to involve critical infrastructure enterprises in the air defense system. The construction of shelters for energy facilities continues, with second-level protection works ongoing at 84 substations and 134 key elements.

Ukraine expects to attract about 5 billion euros in assistance from international partners for the restoration of the energy sector. A meeting is scheduled soon in Brussels to discuss increasing the capacity for electricity imports from Europe, aiming to raise it to 3.5 GW and above over the next two years.

At the beginning of March, the electricity deficit in Ukraine decreased to 1 GW, while in winter, this figure reached 5-6 GW.

President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized in his video address that the country has endured the most difficult winter and thanked the military, energy workers, and services for their efforts. He warned that Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system continue.

According to the UN, as of January 2026, Ukraine has lost more than half of its pre-war electricity generation capacity, with only 11 GW of generation remaining against a need of 18 GW during the winter peak. This has led to prolonged power outages in the country.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and the intensity of attacks has increased since the fall of 2025. Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has submitted materials regarding Russian crimes against energy facilities, committed from July 2025 to February 2026, to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

The Security Service of Ukraine qualifies these strikes as crimes against humanity. Since the start of the current heating season, at least 256 air attacks by Russia on energy facilities and heating supply systems have been recorded.

In early February 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Russia had allegedly not begun attacks on civilian objects, and that Ukraine had struck first against its energy infrastructure.