Since the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine's energy system has been under constant attack. According to reports from, among others, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy, Russia has carried out over 3,000 disruptions to the electricity grid in 2025 alone.

How is Ukraine affected by the attacks on energy infrastructure?

Before the war, Ukraine had a capacity of about 38 Gigawatt (GW). That's roughly 35% more than what Sweden consumes on a really cold winter day. Ukraine's power grid was built to supply a nation the size of France.

When Russia knocks out just 1 GW, it's like pulling the plug for an entire million-dollar city. In 2025, we have seen periods where up to 60-70% of this capacity periodically knocked out.

So what does this lead to for the civilian population in Ukraine?

Many people think that blackouts are only about dark apartments, but in Ukraine the loss of energy means a chain reaction that threatens lives on several planes.

1. The water pumps stop: Without electricity, water utilities cannot push clean water into the systems. In high-rise areas, it can mean families being forced to carry water in buckets up tens of floors in pitch-dark stairwells.
2. District heating freezes: The huge pumps that send hot water to the elements are powered by electricity. If the electricity runs when it is -15 degrees outside and the water is at a standstill, the pipes will freeze in just a few hours. A broken system can be difficult to repair during the winter making the house uninhabitable right away.
3. Health care requires backup resources: In hospitals, generators are not a convenience, they are the only reason life support machines keep going. A surgeon can't pause an operation because the mains fail.

2026: Electricity disaster in Ukraine deepens

Yesterday's reports remind us once again of the brutal reality in Ukraine. With the Ukrainian parliament forced to close due to shortages of both electricity and water, it is clear that energy infrastructure remains a primary target. SVT reports that 335,000 residents of Kiev were completely without power after intensified attacks on the electricity grid. At the same time, the population is squeezed by an extreme winter cold, with temperatures commuting between 10 and 15 degrees below zero.

Unfortunately, these are headlines we have become accustomed to over the past few years. Behind every figure is a family trying to keep warm in a dark apartment, a hospital struggling to keep life-support machines running and a school forced to cancel teaching.

The situation at the beginning of 2026 places higher demands on us than ever before. It is no longer just a matter of temporary repairs, but a struggle for the survival of the civilian population through the fourth winter of war.

Centralised power stations are extremely vulnerable, making our work with decentralised energy solutions such as generators and battery systems more crucial than ever.

Our work in Power Up Ukraine

By supplying equipment, we at Power Up Ukraine create small, independent energy reserves. A 5 kW generator provides power to a shelter. One at 100 kW keeps an entire neighborhood or hospital running. We're building a new, decentralized power grid through one generator at a time.

So far, since the start of the war, with the help of donations and volunteer work, we have managed to run the entire 38 turns to Ukraine loaded with a majority of power supply. And more routes are planned. Our team works hard to communicate, transport, repair and prepare new loads for transport. We are currently preparing a transmission with both smaller power plants that can be used for smaller households, and larger versions with V12 engines that can be used to power entire hospitals, schools or neighborhoods. To those of you who have donated, we can tell you that we currently have larger, active power plants like this deployed at least 15 hospitals in Ukraine.

When you support us, you are helping to repair what Russia is actively trying to destroy. For many, electricity can mean clean water, functioning healthcare and a functioning everyday life. Electricity is thus a prerequisite for Ukrainian society to be able to continue despite the terrible war that is going on.

‍