Ukraine Struggles to Maintain Power as Russia Targets Energy Plants

Amid the wreckage of twisted metal, pools of congealed oil, and walls marked by shrapnel, one detail stands out: patches of snow inside a thermal power station.

As the harsh Ukrainian winter draws near, the vast turbine hall of this energy facility remains full of activity. Engineers, dwarfed by the scale of the station, work relentlessly to repair the damage caused by a recent Russian airstrike. Their task is to salvage what they can and remove what is beyond repair.

For security reasons, the exact location of the power plant and the timing of the visit cannot be disclosed. The full extent of the damage also cannot be revealed, as Russia is known to gather intelligence from such reports to target other critical infrastructure in the future.

This recent visit coincided with Moscow’s second mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in less than two weeks. This attack was part of a larger series of assaults, with ten such attacks carried out throughout the year. These strikes have placed immense pressure on Ukraine’s already fragile energy system.

Before the first of this month’s attacks, on November 17, Ukraine had already lost around 9GW of its power generation capacity. This accounts for approximately half of the energy required during the peak heating season of the previous winter. While it’s unclear whether the facility we visited was one of the most recent targets, the power plant, like many across Ukraine, has endured multiple strikes since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.

Everywhere in the plant, there are clear signs of deliberate destruction. In one corner of the turbine hall, workers, forced to cope with a gaping hole in the roof, have created a makeshift brazier to warm themselves as they work. Large sheets of plastic cover vital machinery, providing some protection from the freezing weather.

“The conditions are tough,” says Oleksandr, one of the engineers at the facility. For security reasons, his last name has been omitted. “We don’t even have enough time to restore the main equipment. Let alone repair the roof and walls. Every time we fix something, it gets destroyed by another strike.”

The Ukrainian government and its allies are doing what they can to assist. On Monday, DTEK, the largest private energy company in Ukraine, announced that it had received £89 million ($113 million) from both the European Commission and the US government. These funds will be used to help restore capacity and protect critical infrastructure from the snow, rain, and sub-zero temperatures of winter.

Despite these efforts, the situation remains dire. The workers, already exhausted from months of relentless airstrikes, face an uphill battle. They are tasked with keeping Ukraine’s energy grid operational despite constant bombardment. The ongoing airstrikes and missile attacks have made the job even more difficult, and each time the engineers think they’ve made progress, new damage occurs, leaving them to start from scratch.

The energy infrastructure has been a primary target for Russian forces, as they seek to cripple Ukraine’s ability to function during the winter. By attacking power plants and energy supply lines, Russia aims to sow chaos and disrupt the lives of Ukrainian citizens. This strategy has been devastating, especially as the country faces one of its coldest winters in years.

Ukraine’s energy grid was already vulnerable before the war, and the constant strikes have only worsened the situation. For the engineers working tirelessly in these facilities, the task seems insurmountable. They are not just fighting to restore energy; they are fighting to ensure that millions of Ukrainians have access to heat and light during the cold months.

As the war continues, the resilience of Ukraine’s energy workers is being tested to its limits. Even with international support, the struggle to maintain power and rebuild what has been destroyed is a monumental task. The threat of further Russian attacks looms large, but for now, Ukraine’s workers remain determined to keep the lights on—no matter the cost. The winter is coming, and Ukraine is bracing itself for another battle, not just against an invading army, but against the freezing cold that threatens its very survival.