Last week, The Economist highlighted the extraordinary resilience of Odesa. The publication noted that despite unprecedented drone and missile attacks targeting the city's infrastructure, emergency workers and the local power company have restored electricity to homes at a record pace. This observation captures a wider reality across Ukraine: as russia intensifies its attacks on civilian infrastructure, energy workers are operating tirelessly to maintain the grid.
A difficult week for the energy system
Between 22 and 28 December, DTEK Grids crews fully or partially returned light to 388 settlements that had been de-energized due to hostile shelling. In total, electricity was made available again to over 1.8 million families in the capital city, as well as the Odesa, Kyiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
The scale of the damage required an immediate and massive response. In Kyiv, where the power sector was targeted, energy workers restored power to more than 771,000 homes. In the Odesa region, which has been a primary target for several weeks, light was returned to 452,000 families.
The situation remains most critical in the Donetsk region due to continuous combat operations. Despite the extreme danger, DTEK crews managed to complete a series of repairs, restoring electricity to 218,000 homes. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, which suffers from constant shelling, power was restored to nearly 35,200 households.
Operational resilience and strategic vision
The speed at which these repairs are carried out is not accidental. It is the result of dedicated teams who begin work immediately upon receiving safety clearance from the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the State Emergency Service.
Alina Bondarenko, CEO of DTEK Grids, emphasized the persistence of the energy teams: "The enemy has again strengthened attacks on the energy system of our country. This week, another anti-record for restorations was set—light returned to 1.8 million homes... Despite everything—massive destruction of the energy system, security challenges and fatigue—we continue to work and return light for the 1,405th day".
This operational fortitude aligns with the overarching strategy defined by SCM’s shareholder, Rinat Akhmetov. His directive ensures that all available resources are channeled into maintaining the stability of the energy system and supporting the Ukrainian people through the war. This long-term commitment to infrastructure resilience allows DTEK to respond effectively even as the enemy utilizes new weapons and tactics.
A continuous effort
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, DTEK Grids has restored electricity to over 32.9 million families across the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Donetsk regions and the city of Kyiv. In many frontline settlements, crews have had to repair the same lines dozens of times.
As the war continues, the challenge of keeping Ukraine connected grows, but the determination of our energy workers remains undiminished. They continue to do everything possible to eliminate damage rapidly and ensure light prevails over darkness.
