Last week’s attacks on Ukrainian grid infrastructure by Russia – causing widespread blackout in parts of the country – are a “message to Europe”, according to Vadym Utkin, Energy Storage Lead for DTEK, the largest private investor in Ukraine’s energy industry.
Utkin made the statement as he delivered a special address during the keynote speech held at Enlit Europe today in Frankfurt, Germany.
And to illustrate the point, the storage specialist brought onto stage a hefty steel slab of Russian missile found from one of the bombarded Ukrainian power stations.
More than 40% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed or is heavily damaged, rolling blackouts have been activated across the country and total blackouts with no internet, mobile connection, water and heating for over 30 hours straight have become a reality in different Ukrainian cities and towns.
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Utkin pointed out how the dire situation for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been painting a scary picture for grid operators.
The recent missile barrage caused the country’s grid frequency to drop down and jump from an optimal 50 Hertz, thereby tripping the country’s four nuclear power plants across 15 units, although some had already been shut down at the Zaporizhzhia power plants, stated Utkin.
“[This is the] scariest picture for people from TSOs (Transmission System Operators) and DSOs (Distribution System Operators) – I call it a nightmare picture…The missile barrage on the grid [has been] causing blackouts [and] frequency drops. [I have] never thought in my life I would see the words frequency drop, missile and strategic bomber together on one slide.”
With the power plants offline, diesel generators were activated, although this is not a sustainable situation – “this is not the right way for a nuclear power plant to operate – cold and diesel are not best friends.”
These diesel generators, however, are prone to fail, stated Utkin, spelling out a dangerous situation not only for Ukraine but for the continent itself. For the act of attacking the already hard-hit country’s energy was more than a war-time tactic – Utkin decried it as message to the whole of Europe:
“Many people think these attacks are to get the people to bring Putin to Zelensky’s doors…I don’t think so…these missile strikes, which we will see more of, is to show Europe that it will cost arm and leg to rebuild Ukraine.
“[For Russia], the unity of the EU will be cracked and Putin hopes that through these crack Russia will destroy Ukraine. These attacks are not for Ukrainians. Homes in the country are in the dark, yes…but nevertheless these missile and drone attacks are for [the EU].”
The results of the blackouts are that Ukraine has been forced to stop energy exports to the rest of the continent. From the exports, revenue that would have been otherwise used to rebuild the power plants has now been lost.
And with further rumours of another mounting attack, stated Utkin, the situation is critical now more than ever.
Vadym Utkin gave a special address during the keynote session for Enlit Europe 2022.
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