30.04.2026
During the Energy Club forum “Distributed Cogeneration — 2026: Barriers to Energy Resilience and Urban Survival,” held in Kyiv on April 28, a keynote speech was delivered by Vitalii Zaichenko, Chairman of the Board of NPC Ukrenergo. He outlined systemic challenges, the transformation of the energy system under war conditions, and the critical requirements for ensuring its stability.
From a Centralized Model to a New Energy System Architecture
Vitalii Zaichenko emphasized that the full-scale war has fundamentally changed the structure of the Ukrainian energy system: “Before the war, our system was highly concentrated: large power plants — thermal, nuclear, hydro. Since 2022, almost all of these sources have been damaged or attacked by missiles and drones. We have lost a great deal.”
According to him, the energy system essentially operates in survival mode every year: Ukraine constantly struggles to prepare the necessary generation reserve before winter to cover consumption. Regular attacks lead to significant constraints: “The limitations were substantial — over 5 GW daily, and around 2 GW during periods of decreased intensity. Everyone felt the impact.”
Priority: New Energy System and Energy Transition
The head of Ukrenergo stressed that restoring the old model is impossible — a new one is needed: “The number one priority is building a new energy system. It must be based on energy transition principles — shifting toward cleaner electricity.”
At the same time, he pointed out the limitations of RES without storage: solar power without energy storage is inefficient. Daytime prices are near zero, and in Europe, even lower. Only shifting electricity from surplus hours to deficit hours will allow new sources to function effectively.
He also noted the rapid growth of household solar installations: “Their capacity is now around 2 GW. They reduce consumption from the grid. But in winter, solar generation is practically non-existent.”
Gas Peakers and Storage as the Foundation for Balancing
Vitalii Zaichenko clearly defined the role of gas generation: “What the energy system needs are gas peakers. We need over 2 GW of them. They are already being built.” He emphasized that this generation should operate specifically during peak hours: “Peakers must be peakers — working in the morning and evening. It is illogical when they work 24 hours while we are forced to curtail solar generation and pay ‘green’ tariffs for it.”
He also confirmed the need for further development of energy storage systems: “This was only an incentive for the development of gas generation and accumulation systems. But this is not enough — we need further development.”
Goal: +1.5 GW of Distributed Generation
According to the Chairman of NPC Ukrenergo, the government has set an ambitious but vital task: an additional 1.5 GW of distributed generation capacity must be commissioned by next winter. This is essential to make the system flexible and resilient to attacks.
The expert acknowledged significant progress in connecting new generation: “The NEURC has simplified connection requirements as much as possible. We also provided temporary easements for the war period.”
April 2026: Shutdown of Gas Generation
Vitalii Zaichenko directly addressed the causes of the current crisis: “April 2026 was problematic — it was cold, and gas generation came to a halt. The reasons were lower price caps and the cancellation of the gas PSO (Public Service Obligations).” The company’s position on PSO is clear: “We did not oppose the cancellation of PSO. But peakers should not work 24 hours — it is economically illogical.”
System Balancing and the Role of NPPs
Regarding the summer period, the speaker expressed cautious optimism: “In 2026, the maintenance schedule allows for a minimum Nuclear Power Plant load of 4,000 MW. This is sufficient for balancing under current conditions.”
Reactive Power: A Principled Position
During the discussion on payments for reactive power, Vitalii Zaichenko explained that power plants are the primary regulators of voltage levels. “This is their duty. Paying for this as a service is incorrect.”
Generation Shutdown: The Controllability Dilemma
One of the main issues was the topic of power cut-offs: “We face a dilemma — ensuring system stability. If we don’t disconnect, we might lose control of the grid.” As a potential solution, the expert cited islanding: “One option is operating in isolated districts. For instance, the Chernihiv Thermal Power Plant operates this way.”
Voltage Surges and Emergency Shutdowns
Vitalii Zaichenko acknowledged the severity of the problem: “Voltage surges are real, especially after attacks. This often involves manual management alongside DSOs — balancing by connecting consumers.”
He also noted that capacity payments are a necessary mechanism and supported the idea of implementing them: “This is absolutely the right approach. It is already provided for in the law on market coupling. This needs to be implemented.”
Gas as a Resource: Uncertainty Persists
Regarding the future of gas generation, the Chairman was reserved: “We have always insisted on backup fuel; it shouldn’t just be gas. Naftogaz says there will be no shortage. But during a war, there are no guarantees.”
Vitalii Zaichenko’s speech served as a systemic diagnosis for the Ukrainian energy sector: a new architecture is already forming, but without a coordinated regulatory policy, economic incentives, and technical synchronization, the risks of losing control of the power system will only grow.
There is no more time for experiments: decisions must be swift, comprehensive, and economically sound.
