Ukraine's energy crisis: Electricity imports rise by tens of percent

Ukraine’s energy sector is going through one of its toughest periods since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Continued targeted attacks on power plants, substations and gas infrastructure, combined with extremely cold weather, have pushed the country to the limits of its operational capacity. The government is therefore stepping up electricity imports from the European Union, strengthening protection of critical infrastructure and seeking to stabilise gas supplies, Montel News reports Montel news.

Ukraine is facing a combination of massive Russian attacks on energy infrastructure and extreme frosts, with temperatures locally falling as low as −20 °C. Russia is targeting not only generation sources but increasingly also substations connected to nuclear power plants. Kyiv says this is a deliberate strategy of energy terror aimed at weakening the civilian population and forcing the country to make concessions.

Following an emergency energy meeting in mid-January, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy openly admitted that Ukraine is currently able to cover only around 60% of its electricity consumption. The country generates approximately 11 gigawatts, while it needs at least 18 gigawatts. The result is widespread planned power cuts, which are affecting even the western regions.

Electricity imports help, but are not enough

The government’s main short-term measure is to increase electricity imports. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal has instructed state-owned and strategic companies to ensure imports equivalent to at least half of their consumption.

According to Montel data, Ukraine significantly increased imports, particularly from Hungary, in January. The total volume of electricity imported from abroad rose by 53% in December, reaching a record 640 GWh in 2025. Analysts nevertheless warn that imports alone will not solve the problems facing Ukraine’s energy sector.

“Imports will be just one of the tools for bridging the deficit, not a miracle solution,” said Daria Orlova, an analyst at ExPro Consulting.

Even if the maximum import capacity of 2.3 gigawatts were fully used, it would not be possible to meet the needs of Ukraine’s power system in full. The increase in imports is also raising questions about the impact on regional electricity prices. Orlova believes Ukrainian demand will not significantly push up prices, as they are already high because of the freezing weather. Some traders, however, acknowledge there may be slight upward pressure on prices in Central Europe.

Poland boosts gas import capacity

Ukraine is also facing repeated attacks on gas infrastructure, including production facilities. According to state-owned company Naftogaz, Russia struck six gas facilities in a single week, but the government says supplies of gas and fuel remain stable and under control. In December, the country recorded its highest gas import volumes in a year and has imported more than 220 thousand tonnes of fuel since the start of this year, while current stocks are equivalent to more than twenty days of average consumption.

At the same time, Ukraine is accelerating the diversification of its gas sources and transit routes, with Poland now playing a key role. In December 2025, Poland completed an upgrade of the metering station in Hermanowice, enabling a temporary increase in total firm and interruptible transmission capacity from 600 thousand to 720 thousand m³ per hour from February to the end of April 2026. The Polish transmission system operator GAZ-SYSTEM warns, however, that this is only a short-term solution, as permanently increasing export flows to Ukraine will require further investment. Nevertheless, since the start of 2026 Poland has become Ukraine’s most important gas supply route, overtaking Hungary despite significantly higher tariffs.

A long-term challenge

Alongside immediate measures, the government is seeking to accelerate the development of decentralised generation.

“While 225 MW of installed capacity was commissioned in 2024, the figure will be 762 MW in 2025. The best results have been recorded in the Kyiv, Volyn, Prykarpattia, Cherkasy and Kharkiv regions, while the city of Kyiv is among the weakest performers. More than 250 cogeneration units have already been commissioned, with another 200 at various stages of implementation. In addition, 187 modular boiler plants have been installed,”Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

Given the critical state of the energy sector, however, this pace remains insufficient. The effects of the energy crisis are also visible in everyday life. Tens of thousands of households in Kyiv remain without heating, schools have been closed until at least the beginning of February, and the state has set up so-called resilience centres where people can heat food, charge electronic devices or spend the night somewhere warm. The state railway operator has also deployed specially heated carriages as mobile crisis centres.

Cooperation with international partners also plays an important role. Germany has provided a winter aid package worth 60 million euros, while the United Kingdom has pledged a further 20 million pounds to restore and secure energy infrastructure. An emergency response headquarters operating around the clock is also in place in Kyiv.

Energy has once again emerged as one of the main battlegrounds of the war, with a direct impact not only on Ukraine but also on the entire European region. If Kyiv is to get through the winter without a collapse, it will have to combine imports, conservation and the rapid restoration of infrastructure.