The power system will survive the winter, but on one condition – the former Energy Minister made a forecast
24 October 2025 17:02
ANALYSIS FROM 
After new massive shelling of energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia’s main goal is to destroy the normal life of Ukrainians by leaving them without electricity and heat. Since October 23, blackout schedules have been introduced in twelve regions of the country. Power engineers are working around the clock to eliminate the consequences of the attacks and try to stabilize the system before the winter season. Experts warn that difficult months are ahead. Former Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov emphasizes that much depends on the pace of Russian strikes and the readiness of Ukrainian air defense, as the system is operating under extreme stress. Is Ukraine’s energy system ready for winter? What are the challenges for the government, energy sector and citizens in winter?
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the main goal of Russia’s missile and drone strikes is to destroy the normal life of Ukrainians.
“Most of their attacks are aimed at forcing people to leave their cities or leaving them without electricity,” he said.
According to the energy services, blackout schedules were introduced in 12 regions of Ukraine on October 23 as a result of the shelling. At the same time, power companies continue to repair the damage and ensure stable electricity supply where possible.
Forecast for winter 2025-2026
Former Minister of Fuel and Energy Ivan Plachkov in an exclusive commentary
“If the strikes continue at the same pace, there may be problems with heat supply in large cities. We have prepared for an average winter, but if it turns out to be abnormally cold, the consequences could be serious,” said Ivan Plachkov.
At the same time, the expert expressed confidence that Ukraine will be able to get through the winter, albeit with some difficulties.
“We will overcome everything, we will do everything, but it could be done more efficiently. The main thing is organizational issues. Quick decision-making and a professional approach will minimize the consequences for the population,” Plachkov said.
According to him, the absence of the position of First Deputy Prime Minister for Fuel and Energy Complex in the government creates problems with coordination and operational management of the industry. The main task in a crisis situation is to make quick and professional decisions.
“It is necessary to plan, control, finance and execute – then the consequences will be minimal. Instead, many initiatives today remain at the project level, and real effective protection against attacks – in particular, through air defense and transformer modernization – is not being implemented in time,” Plachkov summarizes.
Power system under load: electricity consumption restrictions are in effect in 12 regions
Despite the severe consequences of the recent Russian shelling, power engineers continue to restore electricity supply in the affected regions. According to NPC Ukrenergo, electricity consumption in Ukraine remains high, and in a number of regions there are forced restrictions.
As of the morning of October 24, electricity consumption in Ukraine is at the level of the previous day. At the same time, the daily maximum on October 23 was 2.6% higher than the day before. The energy sector explains this by saying that on Thursday, the restrictions were reduced in most regions, which led to an increase in the load on the system.
Due to the high level of consumption and damage to the energy infrastructure, on October 24, from 07:00 to 23:00, twelve regions of Ukraine will have hourly blackouts, with 1.5 to 2.5 simultaneous blackouts. In addition, during this time, power restrictions for industrial enterprises and businesses are applied throughout the country.
Consequences of new shelling
As a result of another Russian attack on energy facilities on the night of October 24, consumers in several regions, including Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Chernihiv oblasts, remained without power.
The most difficult situation remains in Chernihiv region, where large-scale emergency repair works are underway. Power engineers are working around the clock to restore electricity to Ukrainians’ homes as soon as possible.
According to Ukrenergo, the consequences of the massive missile and drone attack on the power system on October 22 are still noticeable – a number of power facilities have been seriously damaged, which affects the stability of the grid.
“Ukrenergo appeals to citizens to limit the use of powerful electrical appliances during peak hours – until 23:00 – to avoid overloading the system. First of all, we are talking about high-powered household appliances: heaters, washing machines, boilers, electric stoves, air conditioners, etc.
“If you have electricity now, please use it sparingly. Do not turn on several powerful appliances at the same time. This will help maintain the stability of the power system and avoid emergency outages,” Ukrenergo emphasized.
Power engineers warn that the situation in the power system may change during the day, depending on the level of consumption and the state of the grids after the restoration work. Ukrainians are urged to follow the updates on the websites and official social media pages of their regional power companies.
