DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, suffered significant damage to a thermal power plant following a barrage of Russian drone attacks on 20 June in which three workers were injured. This was the seventh large-scale attack on DTEK’s infrastructure since March 22 this year, when Russia launched its biggest offensive against Ukraine’s energy system since the full-scale invasion in 2022. During this period, DTEK power plants have suffered more than 180 strikes, resulting in 53 workers injured and three losing their lives.
DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko said: “Another attack on ordinary Ukrainians by Russia overnight: enemy missiles hit a DTEK power station already damaged in previous attacks. Three of our workers were injured. We urgently need to close our skies or Ukraine faces a serious crisis this winter. My plea to allies is to help us defend our energy system and rebuild in time.”
In 2023, in preparation for the 2023/2024 heating season, DTEK restored 10 power units after extensive attacks (almost all of the restored facilities were severely damaged or destroyed again as a result of attacks in March-June 2024).
In 2024, DTEK is investing almost UAH 4 billion to repair and restore thermal PPs affected by the attacks on the energy sector over the past three months, a similar repair bill to that of last year. But no company, says DTEK, can cope with such large-scale destruction on its own –90% of DTEK’s available generating capacity has been destroyed or damaged.
The recent attacks have again highlighted the critical importance of strengthening Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, providing decommissioned power plant equipment for repairs, and increasing electricity imports from Europe by 30-40%. DTEK is currently assessing the level of damage and how long the system will take to recover.
