Ukraine is urging Europe to significantly increase its electricity supplies after Russian attacks “on the country’s energy infrastructure” and the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam that led to massive flooding, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galouchchenko said in an interview with AFP on Thursday.
“We call on Europe to increase the cap on electricity imports” to bring it to 2 gigawatts instead of the current one gigawatt, he said, also making sure that the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant “does not pose an immediate risk at this stage”, but it is required was to be monitored.
Of the 600 square kilometers affected by the floods that followed the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine, “up to 80 settlements could be destroyed”, “20,000 houses are without electricity” and “minus 10,000 hectares of agricultural land” damaged, it was listed the minister, citing preliminary figures.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Versailles devoted to world energy policy.
The destruction of the dam also endangers the drinking water supply of cities like Dnipro or Nikolayev, “it’s a disaster,” he added.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, “50% of our energy infrastructure has been attacked,” the minister continued, although he says the Russians have used “all kinds of weapons to attack” that infrastructure.
The current upper limit for importing European electricity into Ukraine is “1,050 megawatts,” he explained. However, the existing connection infrastructures “allow us to import up to 2 gigawatts of electricity for next winter”.
“So far, Ukraine covers 100% of its needs” from its own electricity production, but “we have asked Europe to increase the cap on supplies,” he added.
Asked about the safety of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Ukraine and Europe, the minister confirmed that the water level of its cooling basin depends on that of the water reservoir of the Kakhovka dam.
“We don’t see any immediate risk at the moment, but we have to monitor the situation.” The cooling pond is currently “16.6 meters high,” he said. However, the critical height is 12.7 meters “in order to be able to supply the cooling circuits of the system.”
“There is a risk, but not now,” he said, referring to summer temperatures and evaporation.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi is expected in Ukraine next week, he said, adding that he would personally travel to Zaporizhia.
The Zaporijjia power plant, whose six reactors have been shut down for several months, is at the center of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Since it was captured by the Russian army on March 4, 2022, it has repeatedly been the target of gunfire and has been cut off from the power grid seven times.