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Ukraine’s wartime energy sector – an update


Ukraine Power infrastructure DTEK Group, the largest owner of Ukrainian generation capacity, provided the following update on 13 October via an online briefing by its CEO Maxim Timchenko that took place during an air raid alert in Kyiv.


Energy facilities under attack On October 10, there were attacks on the civilian population. DTEK is characterising these attacks as an act of terrorism;


Dozens of rockets hit energy infrastructure facilities in 11 regions and the city of Kyiv. There were problems with water supply in 8 regions. Power plants were shelled in central, western, eastern, and southern parts of Ukraine; During 10 and 11 of October about 30% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was hit by Russian missiles;


DTEK is assessing the damage and has started repair work. In general, since 24 of February DTEK losses are measured in billions of of UAH (Ukrainian hryvnia).. The biggest losses are human – 85 company employees have died and 15 are missing.


Germany will continue to push for 1.5°C


Germany Climate change Online news agency Clean Energy Wire reports that Germany aims to keep the Paris Climate Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C within reach even as the energy crisis in Europe puts the short term focus back on fossil fuels. This undertaking was made by foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference. “Russia’s war against Ukraine and its attacks on European energy security have not weakened our resolved push for the 1.5° goal – on the contrary,” said Baerbock. While the country has … revived coal power plants to ensure supply security, this is only be for a limited period of time, and the government is doubling down on energy efficiency and renewables at the same time, she added.


“The climate crisis is hitting with ever greater force: it harms, it kills and it displaces,” Baerbock said, highlighting the connection between climate change and security around the world. She said that Russia’s war against Ukraine had put the spotlight on the connection, as the disruption of grain exports from the region worsened the climate-induced food crisis in other parts of the world.


Rolling blackouts


As a result of Russian missile attacks on October 10, rolling blackouts have been launched in four regions of Ukraine and Kyiv. The restriction of consumption in Kyiv and the central region is not related to a shortage of resources, but to the damage of the infrastructure and the necessary restoration work. Stable electricity supply throughout the country was planned to be restored in a few days.


Export of electricity


Ukraine has stopped exporting electricity due to Russian missile attacks on energy facilities. Ukrainian electricity, exported following synchronisation to the EU and via separate lines to Moldova and Poland, has helped support the stability of the European energy system.


The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been under Russian occupation for more than 7 months, and was shut down, but Ukraine still fulfilled its obligations to European partners regarding electricity export.


But the rocket attacks on October 10 and 11 forced Ukraine to suspend electricity exports to stabilise its own energy system. That is why it is important to end the occupation of Energodar city, where, in addition to the ZNPP, there is a thermal PP owned by DTEK. The liberation of Energodar will increase export capacity to 1000 MV by the end of the year and allow electricity export even in the winter season.


Necessary actions and needs Now and throughout the winter, Ukraine will need air defence systems more than ever to protect energy infrastructure facilities. Equipment is needed urgently to ensure at least temporary operation of the energy infrastructure. Owing to the shelling of critical infrastructure facilities, DTEK is currently in dire need of electrical equipment to restore the power supply, including a mobile substation, 10 kW XPLE insulated cabling, power transformers, current transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers and coupling capacitors.


Cameco and Brookfield to acquire Westinghouse


USA Mergers & acquisitions A consortium of Cameco and Brookfield Renewable, together with its institutional partners, has signed an agreement to acquire Westinghouse Electric Company from Brookfield Business Partners. This transaction brings Westinghouse’s clean power technologies under Brookfield Renewable’s hydroelectric, wind, solar, energy storage and distributed generation portfolio, and alongside Cameco’s experience in front-end uranium fuel capabilities. This is expected to strengthen Westinghouse’s presence in nuclear technology globally and provide a long-term path for the company’s strategic growth. After effecting the transaction, Brookfield Renewable and other affiliates of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. will own a 51 % interest in Westinghouse and Cameco will own 49 %. Brookfield Renewable is pursuing this opportunity through the Brookfield Global Transition Fund I (“BGTF I”), which is reputedly the largest fund in the world focused on the clean energy transition. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.


‘Nuclear milestone’ at Vogtle 3 NPP On 14 October Georgia Power announced that fuel loading into the Westinghouse AP1000 Unit 3 reactor core had begun at Plant Vogtle (pictured) near Waynesboro, Georgia. The nuclear fuel was manufactured at Westinghouse’s Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina. The fuel loading process is said to mark a historic and pivotal milestone toward startup, testing and commercial operation of what will be the first new nuclear units to be built in the USA in more than three decades.


www.modernpowersystems.com | October 2022 | 5


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