04.12.2025
On December 10, at the Energy Club forum “The Energy of Women’s Leadership: Women Holding Ukraine’s Energy Frontline,” Iryna Dmytrotsa—an expert in energy project development and business planning, and Head of Operational and Regulatory Policy at Ukrainian Distribution Grids JSC (2024–2025)—will speak about the evolution of distribution grid management during wartime. She will discuss how the “lens” of leadership in the energy sector is shifting—from operational work “in the field” to shaping state policy.
In an interview with the Energy Club media department, Iryna Dmytrotsa shared her experience in transforming communications during crises, the importance of unifying processes for regional distribution companies (oblenergos), the role of Supervisory Boards in wartime, and how female engineers can build careers in a traditionally “male” industry.
— Ms. Iryna, your professional biography is a classic “from zero to hero” story in the energy sector. You have traveled the path from a distribution department engineer to the Commercial Director of an oblenergo, and subsequently to strategic positions at UDG and the Supervisory Board. This is a journey from “working in the field” to policy-making at the national level. How has your perspective on energy problems changed along this path? What is the hardest part of transitioning from operational management “on the ground” to strategic system oversight?
— Actually, I started in 2002 as an electrician in the Relay Protection Service. Oh, how I loved it! Relay protection is the “brain” of the energy sector! It is the primary type of electrical automation, without which the normal and reliable operation of modern power systems is impossible. It continuously monitors the state and operating mode of all power system elements and reacts to malfunctions.
When I was invited to work as an engineer in the commercial directorate in 2003, my focus shifted slightly: there is a scheme, there is a consumer, and there is a task. Thanks to my mentors, I went from an engineer to the Head of the Distribution Department, and eventually to Commercial Director. This represents over 20 years of evolution.
In the position of Commercial Director, you no longer see just a scheme, but a balance of interests: the enterprise’s economics, the client’s solvency, and the grid’s technical capabilities. And when you move to the strategic level—at Ukrainian Distribution Grids JSC or a Supervisory Board—your lens becomes panoramic, much wider. Today, my perspective is primarily that of a stateswoman.
When working at UDG or on a Supervisory Board, your task is not just to “fix” things, but to preserve and multiply state assets. The main mission now is to develop what has, unfortunately, stagnated for years. We must transform state oblenergos from post-Soviet structures into modern, investment-attractive companies. Here, my perspective works across three vectors: efficiency (introducing automation and modern software, because we cannot manage 21st-century grids with paper logs); European integration (implementing European standards as a condition for survival and access to low-cost financing); and strategy (seeing not just today’s accident, but what the grid will look like in 10 years).
The hardest part of this transition was stopping myself from “fixing the grids with my own hands.” My CEO once told me a phrase that became my motto: “Iryna, scale up. Build a broader strategy.” Therefore, my task now is to create conditions and rules of the game so that the system works efficiently without my manual intervention, and every state enterprise becomes an asset the country can be proud of.
— You faced the hardest winters of the early full-scale war and the first blackouts while serving as Commercial Director of Volynoblenergo. The commercial block in distribution is always about balancing the physics of the grid, the economics of the enterprise, and work with the consumer. What is your sharpest professional memory or case from that period, when you had to make decisions on the edge of the possible to keep the system running?
— For me, it was probably a test of humanity and systematic thinking. My main task was to ensure that the company survived financially in these extreme conditions. My key case was the transformation of communication and work with debtors during the crisis.
We did not take the path of pressure. We created effective customer service centers and introduced transparent interaction algorithms. We communicated! Even in the darkest days, we found solutions for distressed consumers, which allowed us not only to maintain payment levels but also to keep their trust. When you make decisions on the edge of the possible, you rely on numbers but are guided by empathy.
Energy is a business with huge operational costs. When distribution volumes drop while the need for repairs grows exponentially, it becomes a survival challenge. So, we focused on preserving the enterprise’s economy because we needed to buy equipment and pay salaries to people working under shelling 24/7.
And, of course, the outage schedules were one of the heaviest emotional components. I remember the first schedules… and the evenings (sometimes nights) spent at work. The hardest decision was always the fair distribution of the deficit. I remember moments when the physics of the grid didn’t allow us to turn off a residential building because it was on the same line as a hospital, while the neighboring building sat without power for several hours. Explaining this “technical injustice” to people was incredibly difficult. My team came to the rescue here—I thank them!
The balance between the physics of the grid, economics, and social justice is precisely about ensuring there is light, and that there is money to pay the electricians’ salaries for it.
— In 2024, at Ukrainian Distribution Grids JSC, you handled operational and regulatory policy issues at the state level. You saw the work of various oblenergos “from above.” From your experience, how critical is the problem of unifying processes in Ukrainian distribution companies right now, and what regulatory change is most necessary for DSOs to recover effectively?
— Working at UDG, I saw in practice the difference in process organization—from Volyn and Ternopil to Cherkasy and Khmelnytskyi. Unification is critical because it provides speed.
My experience shows that we need a unified operational and regulatory policy adapted to EU standards. We must speak the same language as our European partners. Regarding changes: we need to widely implement the infrastructure business case approach for Distribution System Operators (DSOs) as well; a single investment program is not nearly enough. This will allow oblenergos not just to ask for money for repairs, but to defend complex investment projects that are understandable to international donors. DSOs must rebuild not as “Soviet grids,” but as modern Smart Grids, ready for RES integration and new market challenges. Energy is a long game. We cannot recover effectively if we budget only a month ahead. Investors and partners will provide money for reconstruction only when they see a transparent and guaranteed mechanism for return on investment.
— Your experience in 2025 includes serving on the Supervisory Board of the strategic JSC Cherkasyoblenergo. In wartime conditions, when decisions are needed “for yesterday,” the role of supervisory boards is sometimes questioned. Based on your own experience, what do you see as the main mission of an energy company Supervisory Board member today: strict control, helping management in crisis situations, or ensuring transparency for the future?
— I see the role of a Supervisory Board member very clearly—it is about ensuring sustainability and transparency. In wartime conditions, the Supervisory Board should not be a brake. The Supervisory Board is the architect of the “rules of the game.” It is the body that develops operational policy and development strategy, implementing the processes lived by the civilized world. We are talking about modern corporate governance, compliance, and automation.
My background in project management and financial analytics allows me to help management see “blind spots” and prevent financial losses before they happen. Our mission is not to be a watchdog that slaps hands for every mistake under force majeure conditions. On the contrary, we must share responsibility and give management the legitimacy for quick, non-standard decisions, helping to create conditions where the company is effective today but ready for tomorrow’s challenges. This is assistance in building a system of end-to-end analytics and control, which makes the company understandable and open to the investor and reliable for the state.
— Our forum is dedicated to women’s leadership. You have built a brilliant career in the very complex, technical, and traditionally “male” sphere of electricity distribution. Today, in December 2025, what would you say to those young female engineers who have just joined an oblenergo and might doubt whether they can break through to the level of strategic decision-making?
— I would say: invest in your knowledge constantly. I myself, in 2024, with 20 years of experience, began earning a Master’s degree in Public Administration and completed Project Management certification. The world changes incredibly fast, and your engineering diploma is just the foundation.
Do not be afraid to combine technical knowledge with management skills. Energy today is not just about kilowatts; it is about economics, change management, and negotiation skills. If you are a professional who understands the “hardware,” the “numbers,” and the “people”—any door will open for you. Believe in yourself, learn all your life, and do not be afraid to take responsibility for difficult decisions. Believe me, even now, it is sometimes difficult for me too…
