Russia's full-scale invasion has inflicted $56.2 billion in damage to Ukraine's energy sector as of May 2024, according to the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) report published on June 10.
A recent uptick in Russian strikes put a heavy strain on Ukraine's power grid, with several power plants being destroyed or disabled.
The energy sector suffered direct damage and indirect financial losses in the amount of $56.2 billion, while the restoration needs, which include the complete reconstruction of destroyed facilities, are $50.5 billion, the report says.
Direct damage to Ukraine's energy sector amounted to more than $16.1 billion as of May 2024, as KSE estimates.
The largest losses were caused by the destruction of electricity generation facilities ($8.5 billion), main electricity transmission lines ($2.1 billion), and oil and gas infrastructure ($3.3 billion).
Indirect losses in the energy sector are estimated at almost $40.1 billion, with the bulk of this amount coming from energy companies' lost revenues - $39.6 billion.
Another $500 million is the cost of debris removal and dismantling of damaged facilities.
During the full-scale invasion, more than 18 GW of electricity generating capacity was lost due to Russian occupation, including the occupation of Europe's largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The Kakhovka and Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plants, as well as the Zmiiv and Trypillia Thermal Power Plants, were completely destroyed.
Since the start of 2024, Russia has launched six large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure and multiple smaller ones.
Russia carried out the last large-scale attack overnight on June 1, damaging energy infrastructure in various regions across the country.
An attack in April destroyed the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.
Due to resulting power deficits, Ukraine began implementing rolling shutdowns on May 15. The blackouts last from four to eight hours on average and could be carried out up to three times per day.
Chris York
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