Ukraine - Hundreds of technicians from Ukrenergo have been working around the clock since September to repair substations and transmission lines.
According to Ukraine’s leadership and power sector companies, they have pledged to keep fixing the grid. Hundreds of technicians from Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s electrical grid operator, and DTEK, the country’s largest private power company, have been working around the clock since September to repair substations and transmission lines.
Even though Russia has been systematically destroying Ukraine’s power infrastructure with regular waves of missiles and drones aimed at power stations, transmission lines, and other key infrastructure objects, Ukraine is fighting to keep its bombarded electricity system alive.
According to Ukrenergo, as of January 11, 2023, Ukraine needs 59 of these giant units that automatically step down high voltage transmission at substations, but new transformers cost about $2 million and weigh hundreds of tons.
Fortunately, Lithuania is sending one. Other Western countries are looking into the issue. The US government has a task force focused on finding transformers and getting them to Ukraine. But the problems are myriad.
The effort to find replacement high-power autotransformers for Ukraine is dedicated and broad.
The Ukrainian executives and technicians responsible for keeping their grid alive are valiantly fighting to do so. According to the US government officials, they are trying to help and are hardworking and sincere in their desire to support Ukraine. The EU and countries neighboring Ukraine are stakeholders in the safety and security of Ukraine’s energy and power situation and are also clearly committed to helping.
Source: Atlantic Council