Electricity imports from Ukraine increased after the Russian/Romanian attacks, among the countries that export energy to Ukraine

Ukraine’s daily electricity imports will hit their highest level this year on Tuesday after a series of Russian missile attacks on critical infrastructure caused blackouts in many regions, the Energy Ministry said, according to Reuters.

The attacks, the largest of which took place on Friday, caused major damage to generation and transmission facilities, forcing Kiev to halt electricity exports.

Power imports are expected to reach 18,649 megawatt hours (MWh) on Tuesday, up from 14,900 MWh on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement.

In contrast, Ukraine exported 3,300 MWh the day before the first wave of Russian attacks on March 22.

Ukraine has been connected to the European Union’s unified grid since the first weeks of Russia’s full invasion in February 2022. Imports come from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Republic of Moldova, grid operator Ukrenergo told Reuters.

Ukraine, which has an extensive civilian nuclear power sector, was a net energy exporter before Russia’s invasion and subsequent seizure of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

In the northeastern border city of Kharkiv and parts of the Zaporizhia region in the country’s southeast, 200,000 residents have been left without electricity since last Friday’s attacks.

“Very serious damage to the electricity system makes it impossible to connect all people and houses to the grid, and there are parts of the city where blackouts last 4-6 hours,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov told state television.

“Today, underground transport is already working, but … (other) electric transport is not working in Kharkiv today,” he said.

Volodymyr Kudritski, head of Ukrenergo, which operates Ukraine’s transmission lines, said at a televised news conference in Kharkiv that the company has a plan to restore electricity supplies.

“It is still difficult to guarantee a time frame, but we are talking about a period of 7-10 days, maybe two weeks, when we will be able to restore the normal electricity supply to the city. Provided there is no further destruction,” he said.

Emergency power cuts were also introduced in the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odessa. Odesa’s deputy governor, Serhi Kropiva, told national television that 23,000 residents were without electricity as of midday Tuesday, while “the transportation system has been almost completely restored.”

He said the Black Sea shipping corridor continued to operate despite the attacks.

“Ships regularly depart from all ports located on the territory of Odesa region,” said Kropiva.

Moscow has said that Ukrainian energy facilities are legitimate targets and that such attacks are aimed at weakening Kiev’s military. Russia says the latest strikes are in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks that overshadowed the re-election of Russian President Vladimir Putin.