Boosting Power Grid Integration with the EU Can Help Ukraine Survive the Next Winter

Abstract

The deliberate attacks on energy infrastructure, especially since April 2024, have led to a massive supply gap in Ukraine, to power cuts lasting more than 10 hours a day, and to fears of a winter 2024/25 in the dark and cold. While repairing damaged power plants and deploying decentralized solutions and new capacities are crucial parts of a response to this challenge, the expansion of the power networks that link Ukraine and neighboring EU countries is another. Our paper analyses options for improving cross-border grid links so that more power reaches Ukraine in a timely manner. Six short-term solutions have been identified.