Renata Jaresko revealed crisis communication strategies in the energy sector at the second lecture of the course "Communications and Interaction in the Energy Sector"

25.06.2025

Communications expert Renata Jaresko gave the second lecture within the Energy Club’s online training course “Communications and Interaction in Energy: Strategies for PR, Marketing, GR and Lobbying in Ukraine”. The class was dedicated to one of the most complex topics – crisis communications and the development of response plans for energy supply disruptions, accidents, cyberattacks and wartime challenges.

Renata Jaresko

During the lecture, the founder of the CommsTrue agency shared algorithms for actions in crisis situations, emphasizing that 65% of a company’s success depends on the ability to communicate effectively. Particular attention was paid to the specifics of the energy industry, where any incident can have a significant social and reputational impact.

Renata Jaresko analyzed in detail five typical crises in the energy sector, providing practical recommendations for communication responses to each of them:

• Disruptions: Mass power outages or outages due to emergency load. Communication should be prompt, honest and people-oriented, with an explanation of the causes and recovery timelines.
• Accidents: Man-made incidents that pose a threat to life and health, such as explosions at thermal power plants or fuel leaks. The priority in communication is empathy and transparency, as well as close cooperation with government agencies.
• Cybersecurity Incidents: Interference with dispatch systems, DDOS attacks or data leaks. It is important to control the narrative, coordinate actions with cyber police and the SBU and formulate messages carefully so as not to sow panic.
• Human Error: Corruption scandals, safety violations or unethical behavior of personnel. The response should include public acknowledgement of the problem, internal investigation and demonstration of systemic change.
• War-related Crises: Infrastructure damage, occupation of facilities and enemy disinformation campaigns. Communications should project resilience and unity, coordinate with military administrations and be as transparent as the security situation allows.

The expert highlighted key mistakes that companies make during a crisis: delaying the response, lack of humanity, refusal to take responsibility and inconsistent messaging. She stressed that a company has no more than two hours to publish an initial response and take control of the communication field.

The training course “Communications and Interaction in Energy: Strategies for PR, Marketing, GR and Lobbying in Ukraine” is designed to strengthen the communication capabilities of energy sector companies, help strengthen stakeholder trust and support the sustainable development of the industry.

About Energy Club: Energy Club is a community of energy industry professionals that brings together experts, analysts and company managers to exchange knowledge, experience and ideas. We strive to develop the energy sector and support its participants in the face of constant change. Energy Club regularly holds conferences, forums and seminars dedicated to current energy issues.