As soon as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Yuliana Onishchuk recognized the urgent need to assist her country. Initial news reports from the Kyiv region indicated that Irpin City and Bucha had incurred severe damage, suggesting that critical infrastructure would require immediate repairs. Onishchuk, upon noting the devastation to schools, realized the necessity to modernize their reconstruction. "We have to rebuild them in a new way," she remarked.
Utilizing her background as an energy lawyer and solar power project manager, Onishchuk established the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation. This nonprofit organization aimed to rebuild schools and hospitals while equipping them with solar panels to ensure energy independence and promote clean energy awareness among Ukrainians.
In October 2022, as Russia began targeting Ukraine’s energy system, the situation escalated. By 2023, attacks had advanced from damaging the grid to striking energy production facilities, resulting in widespread blackouts affecting millions across the harsh winter months.
During this period of energy crisis, the foundation’s mission became even more critical. Designing schools and hospitals with energy independence was not only a step towards a green transition but also essential for maintaining their operations amidst the invasion. Thus, the foundation focused on rebuilding Ukraine with sustainability and energy security at the forefront.
Ahead of her appearance at the WIRED & Octopus Energy Tech Summit in Berlin on October 10, Onishchuk discussed the foundation’s initiatives with WIRED. This discussion revealed the extent of the invasion’s impact on Ukraine’s energy supply.
Before the war, 55 percent of Ukraine’s energy generation was nuclear, with the Zaporizhzhia plant being a major contributor. However, this plant is now under occupation. Additionally, thermal power plants, which constituted 35 percent of the energy mix, have become prime targets for attacks, further crippling the energy supply.
Onishchuk highlighted the extensive losses faced by the renewable energy sector as well. With 80 percent of wind power and numerous solar farms in occupied regions, the damage to these facilities has resulted in a 50 percent reduction in electricity generation capacity.
To cope with the situation, Ukraine has repaired additional generation units at other nuclear plants. As a result, the country managed to reduce the frequency and duration of blackouts witnessed from May to July of the current year. Although large-scale blackouts have been mitigated, frontline areas still experience constant outages, and periodic disruptions continue nationwide due to ongoing attacks on various power generation and distribution infrastructures.