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DTEK prepares for more strikes on energy system


War zone update Ukraine Ukraine’s largest private energy producer has braced itself for more drone, missile and artillery attacks by the Russian military. DTEK, which generates around a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity and runs 40% of its grid network, has spent the past 7 months restoring infrastructure, boosting output and preparing defences. DTEK is also adding its voice to urgent calls for further air-defence systems for the country amid growing military intelligence assessments that Russia, which started its attacks on 10 October last year and carried them through until early March 2023, is stockpiling missiles and drones to renew its strikes at power stations, sub-stations and grid installations.


DTEL’s work includes restoring power supply to 8.9 million households, spending $107 million to repair and restore thermal power plants, carrying out repairs on 16 power units (turbine plus transformer) which have already been completed, and the reconnection of two moth-balled power units to provide an extra 500 MW of capacity, safeguarding winter fuel supplies by doubling coal investments to $200 million and importing 210 000 tonnes of fuel, installing additional defensive structures at every power plant, buying and pre-positioning $36 million-worth of critical equipment including the purchase of 224 back-up generators, and accelerating the development of low-carbon generation such as Tyligulska


wind farm. Despite its location 60 miles from the frontline, its 19 Vestas turbines dispersed over a wide area make it harder for the enemy to hit and therefore create a more resilient source of power. DTEK is seeking funding to complete the construction of Tyligulska 2: adding a further 64 turbines to raise the windfarm’s capacity to 500 MW. DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko said: “Last winter, determination carried us through. This winter we are stronger and our people are more experienced. We have invested record sums to prepare for the challenge ahead. We have restored what could be restored, bought back-up equipment and installed defences around power plants.”


EDF under nuclear cybersecurity scrutiny in UK UK Nuclear power


The UK government’s nuclear safety watchdog, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), has put nuclear company EDF Energy on notice over its cybersecurity practices. In the chief nuclear inspector’s annual report on Great Britain’s nuclear industry, which details the performance of the industry during the previous financial year, including positive achievements and shortfalls where they are identified, the ONR stated that EDF Energy has been placed on ‘significantly enhanced regulatory attention’ after an inspection into its cybersecurity practices.


The ONR decision to closely study the cyber credentials of a nuclear power station operator in the UK is a reflection of growing tensions about the cyber actions of hostile


nation states, and follows action taken in July 2022 when EDF was placed under ‘enhanced attention’ by the ONR which has identified shortfalls in its cybersecurity plans. The ONR is taking this new action due to the findings of routine inspections over the past 12 months. EDF has been cited for not providing the inspector with a ‘comprehensive and fully resourced cyber security improvement plan, as agreed, by the end of March’ the report states. ONR judged that EDF’s delivery of their cyber improvement programme had not progressed in line with commitments made and so moved them into a level of significantly enhanced attention for cyber security. ‘EDF has made two new appointments to specifically address cyber security,’ the report stated. ‘We have subsequently met with EDF senior team to ensure regulatory


Plans agreed for Poland’s first NPP


Poland Nuclear power US and Polish officials have signed an agreement to go ahead with the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant, under the Polish government’s policy to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.


The Polish state-owned utility Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe, PEJ, which is charged with overseeing the country’s nuclear programme, signed the agreement with a consortium of Westinghouse and Bechtel. The plant will be located about 280 km from Poland’s border with Germany, which recently shut down its last remaining nuclear reactors in line with its own national policy, and in 2022 the four German


states closest to Poland said they were opposed to the Polish plan. There has also been some opposition to the plan within Poland on the grounds that the initial cost is prohibitive, and construction takes too long, but the opposition has not achieved any decisive results to date. The current plan is for Poland to spend $40 billion on two nuclear plants, each with three reactors. The construction programme will come to a close in 2043. PEJ – a special purpose vehicle 100% owned by the State Treasury – applied to the ministry on 13 April for a decision-in-principle. The application included a description of project characteristics, indicating the maximum total installed capacity,


the planned operating period and details of the Westinghouse AP1000 technology proposed for construction of the plant. In July the ministry issued a decision-in-principle, enabling the investor, PEJ, to apply for a number of further administrative decisions, including a siting decision and subsequently the construction licence.


The first three reactors will be built in the coastal Choczewo municipality in the province of Pomerania, with first power production in 2033. Poland has also signed agreements with South Korea for the construction of a second nuclear power plant as it develops its nuclear energy plans.


www.modernpowersystems.com | October 2023 | 5


expectations are understood.’ It is understood that the ONR’s decision to change the level of attention to ‘significantly enhanced’ is not related to any specific cyber event, but is more concerned with EDF’s ability to demonstrate its systems are robust, and that this plan is now in place and has been copied to the ONR.


EDF has insisted that ‘there is no risk to plant safety at our power stations’ and that it has confidence in the robust cyber security arrangements it has in place. ‘We also recognise the importance of information security and the risks associated with loss of information. Cyber security is a dynamic issue for all organisations and we will continually improve how we manage it to allow scrutiny to return to a routine level in the future’ said EDF in a company statement.


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