Damaged Grid Forces Ukraine to Export Power as Kyiv Faces Blackouts, Expert Says

Generating electricity and delivering it are separate parts of the power system. Ukraine can have enough electricity overall while particular cities lack access to it. The problem is damaged transmission infrastructure, not necessarily a nationwide shortage of generation.

Oleksandr Kharchenko said electricity could still reach buyers across the border in some parts of the grid. Meanwhile, Russian strikes damaged high-voltage lines and substation equipment serving Kyiv. Those damaged routes limited how much electricity could enter the capital, even while other routes remained usable for exports.

Kyiv had also lost some of its own generating capacity, making it more dependent on incoming power. Repeated strikes interrupted repairs, so the imbalance continued. Exporting from one grid area does not prove that every city can receive enough electricity, especially when transmission paths into that city are damaged.

A high-voltage power grid is a network of transmission lines and substations that moves electricity over long distances. It links power plants with cities, industries, and neighboring power systems. This matters because electricity is often generated far from the people who use it.

High voltage allows the same amount of power to travel with less current. Lower current reduces energy lost as heat in the wires. Substations then change voltage levels so electricity can move efficiently between major transmission routes and local distribution networks.

The article shows why this infrastructure matters in practice. Russian strikes damaged high-voltage lines and auxiliary equipment at substations. Ukraine’s generators could still produce enough power, but damaged routes limited delivery to Kyiv. The result was a local supply crisis despite adequate generation elsewhere in the system.

Kyiv’s electricity impact is described qualitatively, not as a percentage. The capital lost some of its own generating capacity and became more dependent on power arriving through transmission lines. Those lines had been damaged by Russian strikes, worsening blackouts.

The heating figures are clearer. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nearly 45% of residential buildings were connected to heating on Thursday. The city aimed to connect the rest by Nov. 12. Kyiv operates about 3,000 kilometers of heating pipes, so restoring heat across the capital takes more than a week.

The article also provides a previous measure of the risk: a major Russian attack last January left more than 1,670 buildings without heat. Together, these figures show disruption to both electricity and heating, but they do not establish a precise percentage of Kyiv’s electricity supply affected.

A power system needs connected routes, not just working generators. Transmission lines carry bulk electricity from plants toward cities, while substations route and manage those flows. Damage to either part can isolate users from electricity that exists elsewhere.

Kharchenko said Russian attacks damaged auxiliary equipment at substations, even where main components had protection. Strikes also damaged high-voltage lines serving Kyiv. Electricity could still reach buyers across the border in some areas, but the damaged routes restricted deliveries into the capital.

Repair work normally could be completed quickly, Kharchenko said. Repeated attacks interrupted crews and delayed restoration. Kyiv had also lost some local generating capacity, increasing its dependence on imported power through the damaged network. This combination explains why sufficient national generation did not prevent prolonged blackouts in the capital.

Electricity interruptions affect more than lights and appliances. Kyiv’s water utility relies on powered pumps to move water through the system. District heating also needs electricity as the city brings its heating network online for winter.

The water utility has backup power, but it cannot operate pumps at the capacity needed to supply every building. Its immediate priority is keeping pipes from emptying. That helps water reach homes again quickly when electricity returns. Kyiv experienced fresh power and water outages on Thursday.

Heating restoration is slower. Nearly 45% of residential buildings were connected by Thursday, and the city aimed to reach the rest by Nov. 12. Klitschko said bringing heat back across Kyiv takes more than a week. The city’s 3,000 kilometers of heating pipes make the task extensive.

Ukraine’s connection to Europe’s continental electricity grid began with synchronization, which linked Ukraine and Moldova’s power systems to the European network. This connection mattered because it created a framework for exchanging electricity across national borders.

The systems synchronized on March 16, 2022, three weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Commercial electricity trade followed on June 30. From then on, electricity could be bought and sold across the border rather than remaining confined to Ukraine’s internal system.

That connection is central to the article’s surprising contrast. Ukraine can export electricity from parts of its network even while Kyiv suffers blackouts. The European link enables cross-border trade, but it does not repair damaged domestic lines. Local transmission damage can still prevent electricity from reaching the capital.

Generation is the production of electricity at power plants. Transmission is the movement of large amounts of that electricity through high-voltage lines and substations toward cities and other users. They are different functions within one connected system.

The article provides a clear example. Ukraine’s plants could still generate enough electricity to meet demand, despite damage to some DTEK thermal plants. Yet Russian strikes damaged lines and substation equipment. Those failures limited how much power could reach Kyiv, while some electricity could still reach buyers across the border.

A modern power system needs generation to create supply and transmission to deliver it where demand exists. Kyiv’s lost generating capacity made the city more reliant on incoming transmission. Repeated attacks then interrupted repairs, showing how damage to either function can cause outages even when the other remains partly available.