Ukraine faces a major challenge ahead of winter as political wrangling has delayed the necessary preparations for its power grid. The New York Times that political differences among top energy officials have delayed the necessary infrastructure upgrades, creating additional risks to a stable power supply during the winter, compounded by possible Russian attacks.
A key dispute between then-Ukrenergo head Volodymyr Kudrytskyi and the Energy Ministry led to his resignation. Kudrytskyi had advocated for the country to focus on building dozens of new power plants across Ukraine to make the energy infrastructure less vulnerable to missile attacks. However, this strategy has not found support among the political leadership. Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko, for his part, denies that political differences have negatively affected the country’s energy policy. He insists that all necessary repairs to the power plants have been completed on time and assures that the power system is ready for winter.
However, analysts and experts believe that wasting time on internal disputes could have serious consequences for Ukraine's energy security. In the context of war and potential attacks on infrastructure, delays in making strategic decisions could cost the country dearly. Energy security issues remain extremely pressing, and Ukraine is forced to prepare for winter in an environment of instability and unforeseen circumstances.
