Ukraine is able to export electricity for the first time in six months as its energy infrastructure is restored after months of Russian attacks.
Russia began its long and deliberate assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure last October.
This led to power cuts and scheduled blackouts, plunging towns and cities into darkness during the winter.
Ukraine was forced to freeze electricity exports – but will now be able to resell its excess electricity.
Energy Minister Herman Hulshenko signed an executive order allowing exports, although preference for domestic customers remains.
He said the system has been producing excess capacity for about two months and Ukrainians are not facing restrictions.
“The hardest winter has passed,” Mr Hulshenko said on Friday.
“The next step is to start exporting electricity, which will allow us to attract additional financial resources for the necessary reconstruction of damaged and destroyed energy infrastructure.”
He also praised the “titanic work” of engineers and international partners to restore the system.
Last month, residents across Ukraine told JEE News that electricity supplies were becoming more reliable.
“The city has changed,” said Anna Shatanko, a young mother in Dnipro. “Finally, the street lights are back, and it’s not scary to walk the city streets anymore.”
However, the operator of the country’s electricity network, Ukrainergo, has warned that Ukraine cannot count on Russian attacks to be deterred.
Ukraine Energy said on Saturday that Russia has fired more than 1,200 missiles and drones at its energy facilities so far during the war.
The company described the attack as the largest attempt to disrupt the energy system of a European country.
In cities across Ukraine this winter, some citizens had to use so-called “resilience centers” to keep warm during power outages and freezing temperatures.
The centers provided electricity and heat as well as basic commodities such as food and medicine.
Each of Ukraine’s thermal and hydroelectric power plants has been damaged since Russia targeted its energy infrastructure.
Kiev has also lost control of Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which is in Russian hands.
In June 2022, Ukraine said it hoped to bring in €1.5bn (£1.33bn) from electricity exports to the EU – its main export market for energy since the start of the war – by the end of the year. .
