Ukraine faces summer power shortages due to Russian attacks, think tank warns

Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine's power generation and transmission systems throughout the conflict, causing significant damage to thermal power plants. This has forced Ukraine to rely more heavily on imports and implement widespread power cuts for consumers.

The DiXi Group stated that under moderate temperature conditions and without further damage to the energy system, the power shortfall could reach 0.7 gigawatts (GW) at peak consumption. However, this figure could rise to 2.4 GW if temperatures increase significantly.

Compounding the issue, essential nuclear power units are scheduled for their annual maintenance, which will further strain the energy system. The think tank warned that as average daily temperatures climb, hourly power cuts will become unavoidable, and shortages might even occur at night when demand is typically at its lowest.

In a severe scenario involving high temperatures and additional damage to the energy infrastructure, the shortfall could surge to 6.2 GW against a demand of 15.8 GW, representing approximately 40% of the required power. The report recalled that during the winter of 2025-2026, Russian missile attacks destroyed over half of Ukraine's power generation capacity, leading to blackouts in Kyiv lasting between 14 and 16 hours.