Ukraine may face prolonged power outages this winter.
(Baonghean.vn) - Ukraine is facing the risk of a second prolonged winter of power outages, as Russian missile and drone attacks have left parts of the country's energy system more vulnerable than they were a year ago.
According to Reuters, thousands of engineers in Ukraine worked during the summer months to repair damaged equipment, and Kyiv's improved air defense systems are expected to help mitigate the impact of the war as temperatures begin to drop.
But the lack of money and time to complete winter preparations means more long nights without light, heating, and drinking water for millions of Ukrainians, and more difficulties for businesses and the country's economy.
Marcus Lippold, head of energy at the European Union's expansion branch, said in Brussels this week: “A lot of effort has been put in just to repair what has been destroyed. But can we build up more resilience? Are we in a better position than we were last winter? I don’t think so. It’s been a big effort, it’s been successful, but it needs to continue.”
Ukraine accuses Russia of deliberately destroying energy facilities to cause maximum hardship for Ukrainian civilians. This accusation has been denied by Moscow, which instead asserts that it is not targeting civilians, but only military facilities.
Reuters reported that the damage was extensive, but Ukraine refused to share detailed data on the impact of the attacks on its energy system, deeming it sensitive information during wartime.
However, the United Nations estimated in June that Ukraine's electricity production capacity had fallen to almost half of what it was before Russia's special military operation in February 2022. The research center of the Kyiv School of Economics estimated direct losses to Ukraine's energy infrastructure as of June at $8.8 billion.
During the recent hot season, which lasted from October to March and when temperatures dropped below zero, the average Ukrainian living far from the front lines experienced approximately 35 days without electricity. This also tended to affect water supplies.
Last winter, Ukraine experienced relatively mild weather, rapid repairs, nuclear power, and electricity imported from Europe, but some officials predict conditions will be more challenging this time.
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovy said in August that his western city of about 1 million people, despite being far from the trenches to the east and south, needed to prepare for power outages lasting up to two months.
Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director of the Center for Energy Industry Research, stated: "Will there be difficulties? Yes. Will there be supply constraints? I'm sure there will be."