Light at a new price: how much does autonomy cost during blackouts now?
26 January 15:45
Prolonged power outages have affected the cost of alternative sources of light and heat. Retailers have raised prices on generators, charging stations, batteries, and other technical devices designed to make life easier for Ukrainians. But what about technology if the price of gas used to fill cylinders for cooking or heating freezing apartments has also risen? Komersant found out what experts predict for prices in the near future.
In fact, businesses began to raise prices for backup power sources after the first serious power outages, which began in October last year. Lesya Karnaukh, acting head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine, even wrote about this on her Facebook page. She noted that while people were sitting without electricity and water for 12-18 hours, and energy companies were doing everything they could to bring light back to our homes, some decided to make some extra money.
“We are already seeing a sharp increase in prices for backup power devices — in some cases, up to 30% over the past week. Prices were mainly raised by wholesalers in response to growing demand from retailers. The desire to make money is logical, but not to take advantage of the situation and artificially raise prices. For example, one chain raised the price of the same charging station by more than 2,000 hryvnia in two hours. They understand that in a critical situation, people will be forced to overpay,” the official said.
In essence, this is understandable. After the first blackouts in 2022, when the country was, to put it mildly, unprepared for power outages, Ukrainians who did not manage to buy candles, which sold out in an instant, lit their homes with homemade light sources made from potatoes and sunflower oil, and all generators and portable chargers were immediately bought up by the first citizens who realized what was happening, various backup power sources began to be imported into the country on a massive scale.
Of course, the price tag on them was already twice as high. Most experts openly called the traders speculators who were profiting from human misfortune. But the frenzied demand for this equipment fell after the electricity supply returned to normal. And what remained unsold was sold at no profit, at “zero.” Experts strongly recommended purchasing all necessary gadgets, just in case. But everything changed with the first shelling of energy facilities by the Russian army last year.
Due to increased demand, they will be even more expensive
But two weeks of energy collapse in the capital, when thousands of Kyiv residents were left without light and heat, have once again raised prices for alternative energy sources. First of all, the cost of charging stations has increased. For example, two weeks ago, one of these home power stations was selling for 14,500 hryvnia, but today it costs 18,500 hryvnia. And they are not even in stock; they are on their way to Ukraine, and may arrive even more expensive.
As reported in a comment
“After all, the stations are imported from various markets abroad, both European and Chinese. To speed up the process, we have to overpay for both the goods and delivery. Demand is huge, with 10 stations being purchased every day, although before the increase in demand, we sold 1-2 stations per week,” the manager notes.
At the same time, he says, both less powerful, inexpensive models and super-powerful ones are now in demand in warehouses. It all depends on what they are used for. For computers and lighting, people buy stations for 10-15 thousand hryvnia, and for refrigerators and boilers, they buy more powerful ones, which cost between 50 and 100 thousand hryvnia.
“If demand grows and we have to buy them on other markets at a higher price, then the final price will rise again,” says the manager.
No one can influence the price
Compared to the cost of stations before October 2025, when they started to rise, some models are now selling for twice as much. But now, with each new batch of imported goods, they are becoming even more expensive.
“Most devices are manufactured in China. Delivery by sea (due to threats in the Black Sea) and across EU land borders has become more expensive and longer. Customs procedures have also become more complicated. Importers purchase goods in dollars or euros. The instability of the hryvnia exchange rate forces them to factor currency risks into the price, which leads to an increase in prices in hryvnia. Components (such as lithium for batteries) may become more expensive globally. Sellers themselves are working in conditions of blackouts and incurring additional costs for generators for their stores and warehouses, which may also indirectly affect prices,” he notes in a comment
. "Komersant Ukrainian"
Wholesalers may also sharply raise prices for retail chains, which are then forced to increase retail prices in order to maintain their margins.
Sometimes retailers raise prices “with a margin” for the future. And the lack of goods in warehouses allows sellers to dictate the price of remaining stock.
The state cannot influence the cost of these goods, which are not socially significant products. Therefore, economists emphasize that the price increase should come as no surprise.
Author: Alla Dunina
