“France can help Ukraine’s energy sector”

hasAs Vladimir Putin continues his brutal assault on Ukraine, one of the most critical fronts where France can help is in the energy sector. Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s power plants pose a serious threat to the country’s energy security, the functioning of its economy, and the well-being of its citizens.

Since March 22, Russian forces have been targeting Ukraine’s energy systems almost daily. DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, reported that five of its six large coal-fired power plants were damaged, causing an 80% loss of capacity. On the second anniversary of the invasion in February, DTEK announced that 252 of its employees had died while working on the ground to keep the system operational. The latest attacks in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, left at least 700,000 people and 400 settlements across Ukraine without electricity.

In the face of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, France can help Ukraine counter the Kremlin’s onslaught and save thousands of lives by strengthening its air defenses, protecting energy resources from Russian missile attacks and preventing blackouts. These measures are urgently needed along with temporary power supply and self-contained energy systems for critical infrastructure such as hospitals, water pumping stations and boiler rooms, using solar energy and other distributed energy sources.

urgent needs

Currently, Ukraine’s centralized energy system, which dates back to the Soviet era, is in a very fragile state, with 50% of its infrastructure damaged by missile and drone attacks. Russian airstrikes damaged Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric plant, DniproHES, and the Dnipro Reservoir Dam, contributing to capacity shortages. Many coal-fired power generation units were also severely damaged, and Ukraine must build new capacity, estimated at 12 gigawatts, to replace them. The overall investment Ukraine needs to rebuild its energy sector, which has been badly damaged by Russian attacks, could represent an opportunity for targeted aid funds or guaranteed foreign investment.