Ukrainians were explained whether repairs at nuclear power plants pose a threat of power outages.

Repair campaign at nuclear power plants

Ukraine has launched a repair campaign at nuclear power plants which will last until the start of the next autumn-winter period. This was reported by EP.

Preventive maintenance and refueling work is planned for all nine operational nuclear units. Given the water shortage for hydroelectric power plants and the possibility of enemy shelling, Ukraine may face a deficit of electricity.

Repairs will be conducted annually in such a way that all energy units can operate during the cold season. Currently, the schedule for repairs has not been disclosed, but traditionally, the majority of work is planned for the summer months. There are a total of seven units with a capacity of 1000 MW and two units with a capacity of 440 MW at the nuclear power plants.

'This spring, less water is expected due to a lack of precipitation, so 'Ukrhydroenergo' will not be able to compensate for the energy deficit as it did last year,' said Prime Minister's advisor Yuriy Boyko.

Experts predict that in 2025, water availability will be three times less than last year, which will pose a serious challenge for the energy system.

Measures to cover electricity deficit

Several measures are available to balance the energy system:

• Importing electricity from the EU, notably increasing possible import volumes from 1700 MW to 2100 MW. Additionally, Ukraine may receive up to 250 MW in emergency situations.
• Utilizing internal reserves, particularly maximizing the use of thermal generation on the reserve units that have not been damaged by Russian shelling.
• Limiting consumers, particularly in the industry. In extreme cases, emergency disconnection schedules may be introduced for residential consumers and small and medium-sized businesses.

'Starting in March-April, when repairs begin but it will still be cold and electricity consumption will be high, the energy deficit may increase. We need to either cover it with imports or limit consumption,' explains Yuriy Boyko.

Forecasts for spring and summer 2025

A representative of one of the energy companies optimistically assesses the situation: in the absence of large-scale shelling, the public should not expect restrictions. 'This year, repairs at nuclear power plants have been optimized. We do not expect generation failures in the hottest months,' said the interlocutor.

The largest electricity deficit is expected in July, but with electricity supply from the EU, it can be fully covered: 'I don’t see any problems, I am very optimistic,' adds the expert.

Despite a calm winter and an optimistic outlook for the coming months, specialists do not recommend selling generators and charging stations. 'Do not sell them, let’s revisit this issue in a year,' notes one of the experts.

Possible electricity export and its significance

In March, the air temperature rose above 20 degrees. Thanks to solar activity, significant amounts of electricity from solar power plants became available, which can generate up to 3 GW of capacity during the daytime.

Ukraine is already producing small volumes of electricity, which it sends to Poland through a mechanism for disposing of surplus capacity. Export to EU countries may likely resume in certain hours soon.

It is important to know that electricity export is only possible during hours when there are surpluses in Ukraine's energy system. Electricity is difficult to store, so it can only be exported to European countries during certain hours on sunny days. If this is not done, the state will have to pay 'green' producers for limiting generation during peak demand periods.

The absence of electricity in certain regions is explained not by a lack of energy in the system, but by the impossibility of delivery to consumers due to shelling of distribution system facilities.

It is also worth mentioning that Ukraine has restored half of the lost energy capacity.