Ukraine could reach gigawatt of new power capacity by heating season – Oleksandr Kharchenko

Ukraine may be able to bring online up to one gigawatt of new energy capacity by the start of the upcoming heating season, the expansion targets outlined by Ukraine’s President last year.

Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director of the Energy Industry Research Center, shared these projections during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine.

“If everything goes according to plan, the gigawatts announced by the President last year are very likely to be in place before the heating season begins. Even if the timeline shifts slightly, these capacities will be brought online regardless,” the expert stated.

According to Kharchenko, approximately 600 to 650 megawatts of new generation capacity is currently under construction or being prepared for activation in various regions of the country. Several other projects are in the early phases, including financial and design planning.

“I estimate the total capacity of projects either under construction or already built and nearing launch to be around 600 to 650 megawatts across the country, which is actually a solid achievement. In addition, several projects are still in early stages, including financial planning, design, etc. There are enough of them to say we’re approaching an ideal scenario, perhaps not fully there, but around halfway. And 50% of the optimal goal is already a strong outcome for Ukraine. Considering the war and the broader circumstances, I believe this is an entirely reasonable and commendable outcome,” Kharchenko emphasized.

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