Ukraine keeps supplies of transformers abroad in case of shelling - The Economist

This was reported by The Economist.

100 new high-voltage transformers have been ordered, half of which will be made domestically and half of which will be bought abroad. But attacks on Ukrainian factories have meant that few domestic ones have actually been made. Foreign transformers will be stored in Poland and Romania until they are needed," the material said.

Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said that the country was preparing for possible new attacks on the energy system, but that it was now more vulnerable because there was now no excess capacity and little spare equipment.

However, Ukrainian engineers have developed sophisticated schemes to distribute electricity and equipment across the country. In addition, after the modernisation, Ukraine has many old transformers that have been taken out of service, but they can be switched back on if necessary.

Galushchenko stressed that Ukraine now has more experience in countering large-scale attacks, but also stressed the need to strengthen air defence systems.

Thedamage caused by Russian attacks last winter was enormous. According to the United Nations Development Programme, power generation capacity in April 2023 was down 51% compared to before the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Nuclear power accounts for the bulk of Ukraine's energy production, and while the three operating nuclear plants under Ukrainian control have not been attacked, Russia's occupation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has led to a 44 per cent reduction in nuclear capacity.

DTEK director Dmytro Saharuk notes that if Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities stop, the energy system will be able to function normally during the winter. Otherwise, Ukraine's air defence will actively seek to shoot down enemy targets to protect the infrastructure that has been rebuilt over the past six months.