Ukraine’s state-run Naftogaz energy firm reported an attack on an underground gas storage site in Ukraine on Sunday, marking the latest in a series of Russian missile strikes targeting power facilities. Despite the attack, gas supplies to consumers remained unaffected.
The energy ministry and distributors confirmed that Ukraine escalated imports of electricity and suspended exports following the recent onslaught of Russian attacks, which resulted in a significant loss of capacity for top energy producer DTEK.
Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian generating and transmission facilities on Friday led to widespread blackouts in many regions, with additional strikes targeting energy facilities in three Ukrainian regions early on Sunday.
Naftogaz CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov stated that while equipment was damaged in the strike, repairs were underway. He assured that the situation would not critically impact underground gas storage operations as gas is stored deep underground. However, repairs to damaged surface infrastructure were necessary, although backup capacities were in place to mitigate immediate impacts.
Meanwhile, the energy ministry announced increased electricity imports and suspended exports for the day to manage the situation. Prior to the March 22 attack, Ukraine imported 3,300 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity daily, with exports totaling 2,148 MWh.
Serhiy Kovalenko, head of distribution firm Yasno, confirmed that DTEK had officially lost 50% of its generating capacity due to Friday’s attack. He highlighted that Russia targeted both generation and distribution components of Ukraine’s energy system, impacting thermal and hydropower plants.
The ministry further revealed that Russia attempted to target critical energy infrastructure in the Lviv region on Sunday, resulting in equipment damage and power loss for 1,400 households in the Kyiv region due to damaged power lines.
Despite the challenges, Naftogaz’s Chernyshov emphasized ongoing efforts to localize and eliminate the impact of Russian attacks. He reassured that while restoration of damaged ground infrastructure was necessary, Ukraine’s gas storage facilities remained operational, with sufficient backup capacities in place.
