Meet the energy workers fighting to keep the lights on in Ukraine via Reuters
Written by Tom Balmforth
(Reuters) – When Russian missiles hit a Ukrainian power plant and workers sought a bomb shelter, a handful of workers stayed above ground in a control room protected by sandbags to keep the system running manually.
The facility, which energy officials asked Reuters not to identify for security reasons, was hit by missiles this year when Russia attacked the airport this month as it entered the third winter of the war.
“When there is an attack, we stay here even though we know that there are missiles coming towards us… That we are not afraid is not true because we are all alive, we are ordinary people and we are afraid,” said Serhii, 52, a shift leader who has worked at the center for more than 30 years.
Outside the control hub is a large machine room with holes in its walls and extensive damage after a missile attack, the most recent of which was on Nov. 17 in this institution.
The smell of burning hung in the air during their visit to Reuters, as water seeped from the damaged roof.
Missile parts were lying on the ground, twisted metal was stacked aside and broken pieces of equipment were scattered around. Workers in ugly overalls are busy repairing and climbing over the damaged electrical unit.
Serhii, who declined to give his last name, and his colleagues see themselves at the forefront of a key battle in the 33-month war with Russia – to provide millions of people with power over the invasion.
Russia, which denies targeting civilian infrastructure but views Ukraine’s electricity system as a proxy for its war, has wreaked havoc on power facilities since launching a series of attacks on the grid in the spring.
The plant is one of five remaining thermal power plants owned by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, which supplied a quarter of the country’s electricity needs before Moscow’s February 2022 attack.
Along with the location, DTEK asked Reuters not to disclose specific details about the facility, including the amount of electricity it currently produces, saying such information could help Russia launch future strikes.
The facility, which provides electricity and heating to hundreds of thousands of people, has undergone major renovations over the course of most of the year. The November attack prompted urgent repair work.
“We were set back six months,” said Oleksandr, 52, a senior worker at the facility.
‘WINTER WILL NOT BE EASY’
Russia launched its second major attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this month on Thursday, causing a nationwide blackout.
After two waves of attacks, the outlook for Ukraine’s power grid has worsened at the height of the war, with Russian troops advancing in the east and Donald Trump preparing to enter the White House on Jan.
Ukraine has repaired its energy infrastructure that was hammered in the spring and summer, putting it in a position that looked unexpectedly strong for the coming winter, industry sources said.
But now they say the damage caused on November 17 and November 28 has set them back significantly, raising the prospect of longer blackouts and more winter outages. Temperatures are already hovering around 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit).
Another industry source said that, despite the obstacles, Ukraine will be able to face the challenges ahead.
The staff interviewed by Reuters at the center said they would do their best.
“This is our front, some guys are guilty in the east, our front is here. Our job is to ensure that our Ukraine has electricity, that it is fully functional,” said Serhii.
