Ukraine is intensifying efforts to safeguard its energy infrastructure ahead of the approaching winter, as Russian air strikes continue to target critical facilities, causing widespread power outages across the country. Over the past week, Moscow has launched at least 76 attacks on electricity and oil and gas sites, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, undermining Ukraine’s ability to sustain its energy supply during a historically harsh season.

Following overnight strikes on Monday, more than 10 energy infrastructure facilities were damaged, leading to power cuts affecting at least 550,000 families in Kyiv and other regions. Although Ukrainian forces initially refrained from immediate counterattacks, Kyiv has since resumed strikes against Russian targets to push back against the ongoing assaults.

Last winter’s similar attacks resulted in extensive outages in sub-zero conditions, highlighting the urgent vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy grid. The World Bank estimated in February that restoring the nation’s energy sector could cost approximately $91 billion, with around $4.9 billion needed for urgent repairs in 2026 alone. However, Olena Pavlenko, head of the DiXi Group energy think tank, suggested these figures may underestimate the scale of damage, projecting this year’s repair costs could reach between $6 billion and $7 billion due to the intensity of recent attacks.

Kyiv relies on three combined heat and power (CHP) plants with a total capacity near 1.3 gigawatts, according to the NGO Global Energy Monitor. However, city officials report significant destruction from repeated strikes. Mayor Vitali Klitschko recently stated that Kyiv’s electricity generation capacity has been severely damaged despite ongoing repair efforts since last winter. Pavlenko added that most of the CHPs are likely fully incapacitated again, posing a critical challenge given the limited available stock of replacement parts.

The CHPs, built during the Soviet era in the 1970s and 1980s, serve as vital components of the city’s power and heating infrastructure. Local power company DTEK noted on October 1 that its thermal plants have been targeted in over 230 attacks since the conflict began. Grid operator Ukrenergo also reported that recent ballistic missile and drone strikes have significantly complicated maintenance and repair efforts by energy workers.

While rolling power cuts provide a temporary measure to ease grid pressure, Ukrainian officials warn that distributed generation alone cannot meet demand. Authorities continue urgent repair work to restore functionality before the onset of freezing temperatures but acknowledge that further attacks could recreate last winter’s dangerous energy shortages.