Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has warned that the upcoming winter could be the hardest since the Russian invasion began. Due to intensified airstrikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the country remains heavily dependent on its three functioning nuclear power stations and electrical imports from the European Union. Shmyhal acknowledged, "Energy resilience is one of our greatest challenges this year," further stressing that while previous winters were tough, the approaching one might be even more difficult.
In response, Ukraine, supported by European allies, is urgently working on decentralizing power generation to reduce vulnerability to attacks. Initiatives include expanding renewable energy capacity, a move praised by environmental organizations. Greenpeace has advocated for a decentralized solar power network, arguing it would be more robust against missile and drone strikes. The group has called for nearly 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) in international investments to bolster green energy projects dominated by the solar photovoltaic sector.
Ukraine has already lost over half of its energy-generating capacity during the conflict, as reported by the United Nations and the World Bank. Much of the country's solar power capacity was also affected due to the Russian occupation of sun-rich southern regions. Alexander Egit, a Greenpeace executive, has urged Western donors to invest in renewable energy projects, stating, "Greenpeace's role is to advocate for decentralized renewable energy to ensure Ukraine is rebuilt as a modern, green, and independent nation." The pre-war energy mix in Ukraine was heavily reliant on traditional sources like coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)