01.10.2026
On 15 October, Energy Club will hold its second forum in Kyiv, “The energy of women’s leadership: Women holding Ukraine’s energy frontline”. The forum will focus on the experience of women who, amid the full-scale war, are taking responsibility for the resilience of companies, teams and entire areas of the energy sector.
One of the forum’s speakers will be Ksenia Lukyanets, Director of LLC “National Expert Center”. Her professional career combines public administration, auditing and the technical sector, while today she leads a company whose work is essential to ensuring the accuracy of data used by the energy sector.
Ahead of the forum, in an interview with Energy Club journalist Olena Karpachova, Ksenia Lukyanets spoke about why measurement accuracy during wartime is becoming not only a technological issue but also a matter of energy security, how the role of metrology is changing amid decentralisation, and what leadership should look like when it comes to delivering results in times of constant challenges.
– Ms Lukyanets, metrology is an integral part of the reliable operation of energy infrastructure today. How has the war changed the requirements for measurement accuracy and the responsibility of companies operating in this field?
– The events unfortunately unfolding in our country have left nothing unchanged. As for our company’s area of work, the war has shown that measurement accuracy is not merely a technical requirement or a matter of correct calculations. It is an expression of honesty in relations within the state at a time when we need honesty and cohesion more than ever. Today, it is a component of the stability of the energy system and of trust between the state, business and consumers.
Under conditions of damaged infrastructure, limited resources, changing network operating modes and increased loads, even a minor error can lead to significant financial and managerial consequences. Therefore, the responsibility of metrology companies has increased considerably. We must not simply verify an instrument; we must ensure even greater reliability of the data on which decisions are made, calculations are carried out and energy balances are planned.
For me, quality in metrology is, first and foremost, responsibility for a result that people can trust.
– You head a company operating in a high-tech and traditionally “male-dominated” sector. Have you felt that the full-scale war has changed attitudes towards women in leadership positions and their role in strategic decision-making?
– I am convinced that the war has significantly changed the perception of leadership itself. Today, what matters is not the gender of a leader, but their ability to take responsibility, make decisions quickly, retain their team and deliver results under difficult conditions.
The technical sector was indeed considered predominantly male for a long time. But my professional career has always been connected with systems that require discipline, precision and strong management decisions. For more than ten years, I headed a large state body, worked at the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Accounting Chamber, and now I manage a company operating in metrology and energy.
Therefore, I do not try to prove that a woman can be an effective leader. I believe this is demonstrated through daily decisions, responsibility for people and concrete results.
– What has been the most difficult professional challenge for you in recent years, and what management decisions helped the company not only withstand it but also continue to develop?
– The most difficult challenge was ensuring business continuity at a time when the security situation, logistics, clients’ needs and staff capacity were all changing simultaneously.
Under such circumstances, it is not enough simply to maintain current operations. You need to see the future: retain a professional team, develop new areas, expand the geographical scope of operations, improve internal processes and look for new clients.
My experience of managing large teams and working in the public sector helped me, as decisions there also often had to be made under conditions of high responsibility and limited time.
We strengthened control over contract performance and began analysing each area of activity in greater detail, including its efficiency and development prospects. The key management decision was not to put the company exclusively into survival mode. Even during wartime, it is necessary to develop; otherwise, you will eventually have to catch up with those who continued moving forward.
– National Expert Center is developing in line with European metrology standards. How important is harmonisation with EU requirements for Ukraine’s energy sector and its integration into the European market today?
– For Ukraine’s energy sector, this is no longer a matter for the distant future. It is a practical condition for full integration into the European market.
The European approach involves traceability of measurement results, transparency of procedures, appropriate conformity assessment and mutual recognition of results. Without this, it is impossible to ensure confidence in commercial metering data, equipment and the services provided by Ukrainian companies.
For metrology centres, harmonisation means much more than formally bringing documents into line with European standards. It means changing the culture of work – from equipment and methodologies to the competence of specialists and the quality control system. For Ukrainian businesses, it is also an opportunity to remain competitive not only domestically but on the European market as well.
– During the war, the business planning horizon has become much shorter. How do you combine operational responses to challenges with long-term investment in the company’s development and new areas of activity?
– I divide management into two interconnected levels.
Even with a short planning horizon, a company needs to understand where it is heading. That is why we analyse our client base, the workload of each area, promising industries and regions, and plan the development of new services and competencies.
I do not support investment for the sake of investing. Every project must respond to a genuine market need, create a competitive advantage and have a clear economic outcome. At the same time, we cannot wait until the war is over to start developing. Ukrainian businesses need to prepare for the modernisation and reconstruction of the country today.
– Behind every accurate measurement are people. How do you support your team, motivate specialists and maintain a high quality of work under constant stress?
– There really are people behind every service – engineers, metrologists, laboratory specialists, managers and administrative staff. The most valuable assets are not only equipment or documents, but also professional knowledge accumulated over many years.
My management approach is to be demanding about results, but attentive to people. The team must clearly understand its tasks, quality criteria and individual responsibility. At the same time, a leader must recognise when an employee needs support, additional training or an opportunity to recover.
I value initiative and am not afraid to give people more responsibility when I see that they are ready for it. Motivation is not only about salary. It is also about respect, professional development, fairness in decision-making and an understanding that your work has real value for the company and the country.
– Ukraine is actively developing distributed generation, energy storage systems and renewable energy. What new challenges does this create for metrology and measurement technologies?
– The energy system is becoming more decentralised and technologically complex. A consumer can simultaneously be a producer of electricity, use solar panels, energy storage systems and charging stations, and feed surplus energy into the grid.
This requires bidirectional metering, accurate measurement under different load conditions, data synchronisation and reliable remote data exchange. Requirements for cybersecurity, equipment compatibility and power quality control are also increasing.
Metrology is now faced with the task of working not only with an individual instrument but with an integrated digital measurement system. It must accurately record how much energy has been consumed, generated, stored and fed into the grid. That is why the future of the sector is linked to smart metering systems, automation and the processing of large volumes of data.
– Can we say that measurement accuracy is becoming one of the factors of the country’s energy security today? What role do modern metrology centres play in this process?
– Absolutely. It is impossible to manage a resource effectively if we cannot reliably determine its volume, losses, quality and direction of flow.
Accurate measurements make it possible to establish realistic energy balances, identify unjustified losses, monitor equipment efficiency and ensure fair settlements. During wartime, this is particularly important, as the state and energy companies have to operate with limited resources and damaged infrastructure.
A modern metrology centre is no longer simply a place where instruments are verified. It is expert infrastructure that ensures confidence in measurement data. And reliable data form the basis for sound management decisions and, consequently, the country’s energy security. Ukraine’s Electricity Market Commercial Metering Code also directly links the functioning of the electricity market to proper metering and the exchange of relevant data.
– Your professional career is an example of successful female leadership in the technical sector. What qualities, in your opinion, are most important today for women seeking to build their careers in energy and related industries?
– First and foremost, professionalism. In a technical field, it is important to have a deep understanding of processes, keep learning and not be afraid to ask questions of people with highly specialised expertise.
Equally important are inner confidence, the ability to take responsibility and the determination not to abandon your goals simply because someone considers a particular field “not for women”. There is no need to imitate a male management style or give up your femininity in order to be taken seriously. A woman leader’s strength can lie simultaneously in determination, resilience, empathy and the ability to bring people together.
For me, being a leader means remaining true to yourself, not betraying your principles, knowing where you are going and understanding the consequences of your decisions. It also means not being afraid to start a new professional chapter, regardless of age or previous experience. My own path proves that knowledge of law, finance, psychology, public administration and auditing can provide a strong foundation for successful work in the technical and energy sectors.
Even a minor error can lead to significant financial and managerial consequences. Therefore, the responsibility of metrology companies has increased considerably. We must not simply verify an instrument; we must ensure the reliability of the data on which decisions are made, calculations are carried out and energy balances are planned.
For me, quality in metrology is, first and foremost, responsibility for a result that people can trust.
At a time when Ukraine’s energy system is being tested for resilience, it is not only large-scale technological solutions that matter, but also accuracy, professionalism and responsibility at every stage. It is through these daily decisions that the sector’s ability to operate today and prepare for the future is built. And in this process, the role of people who are ready to take responsibility, adapt alongside the industry and lead it forward is becoming increasingly clear.
