28.01.2026
In February, Energy Club launches the second stream of the training course “Communications and Interaction in Energy: Strategies for PR, Marketing, GR and Lobbying in Ukraine (2.0)” – an updated educational program for professionals working in the complex and dynamic regulatory environment of the energy sector. The course is aimed at strengthening the communication capabilities of companies, increasing their competitiveness and supporting the sustainable development of the industry.
After a successful pilot project and high ratings from the participants of the first batch, Energy Club is not just repeating the program, but significantly improving it. The updated course takes into account the key challenges of 2025 – deepening European integration processes, decentralization of generation and the need for effective communication in conditions of increased security risks. The program has a clear applied focus and is based on real experience and feedback from energy industry professionals.
Among the leading lecturers of the course is Oleksiy Hnatenko, a partner in the dispute resolution practice of the law firm Juscutum. He will cover several relevant topics at once, such as: monitoring legislation and analyzing draft laws, forming partnerships, using GR tools for inquiries and consultations, and adapting strategies to future trends.
In an interview with the Energy Club media department, Oleksiy Hnatenko shared his practical vision of how energy companies can build effective GR strategies in the face of constant regulatory changes, what to focus on when working with associations and coalitions, and what future trends need to be taken into account in communication with the state and regulators today.
– Mr. Oleksiy, you work at the intersection of law, GR, and energy policy. What GR tools are the most effective for energy companies in Ukraine today, and which ones, in your opinion, are most often used incorrectly?
– What works best is what gives the regulator and the government a ready-made solution, not a request. These can be short policy positions with figures and legal justification, specific work with profile committees, the Ministry of Energy, the National Commission for the Regulation of Energy and Utilities of Ukraine and TSOs at the early stages, participation in consultations and working groups, as well as coalitions of stakeholders around a specific norm or draft regulatory act.
The most common mistakes are the use of one-time measures without a systematic approach, relying on informal agreements instead of public argumentation, and attempts to promote one’s own business interests without reference to system security, tariff consequences, and European integration obligations.
– The regulatory field in the energy sector is constantly changing. How can companies build a systematic monitoring of legislation so as not to react after the fact, but to see potential risks and opportunities in advance?
– Regulatory research is needed as a continuous process that reflects a map of changes and stakeholders: draft regulatory decisions, government decisions and parliamentary initiatives, weekly screening and a short internal digest.
The next step is a risk register with defined owners within the company, legal assessment and action scenarios. It is critically important to have early indicators, including the emergence of concepts, working versions, letters and discussions, and immediately translate them into an impact plan, without waiting for project registration or voting.
– Working through associations and coalitions is becoming increasingly important, especially in the context of European integration. In your experience, what conditions are critical for creating effective industry partnerships, rather than formal associations “for the sake of ticking the box”?
– A partnership works when there is a clear goal for 3–6 months, transparent governance, stable funding of associations, which allows for a quick response to changes, an agreement on a single position and communication discipline, as well as measurable results – for example, a change in a specific norm, the launch of a mechanism, an agreed order of connection or access to networks. Formal associations usually do not work when there is no responsibility for substantiating the position and a clear division of roles between stakeholders.
– Decarbonization, hydrogen energy, digitalization and AI are gradually moving from discussions to the plane of regulatory decisions. What future trends do you think should be taken into account in the GR strategies of energy companies right now?
– I would draw attention to the rules of flexibility and balancing, in particular BESS and demand response, acceleration of connection and network investments, new requirements for the origin of products with a carbon footprint, including hydrogen and derivatives, as well as convergence with EU rules on market transparency, data and compliance.
In parallel, cybersecurity and regulation of digital solutions and AI will be strengthened, so GR should speak about It is not only about innovation, but also about responsibility, data, risks to critical infrastructure and how these technologies actually increase the resilience of the energy system.
A conversation with Oleksiy Hnatenk clearly outlines: effective GR in energy is a systematic work with rules, stakeholders and future trends, and not a reaction to already made decisions. The conditions in which the energy sector of Ukraine operates require companies to have mature communication strategies, the ability to think several steps ahead and speak to the state in the language of decisions, responsibility and security of the energy system. It is these approaches and practical tools that form the basis of the updated Energy Club course, designed to help PR, marketing, and GR specialists navigate the regulatory environment and shape it together with the industry.
