Ukraine: Four Years of Commitment, One Reality: Energy Is a Humanitarian Emergency.

Ukraine: Staying Resilient Through Electricity

Hervé Gouyet, President of Electricians Without Borders

For the past four years, Russia’s strategy of massive bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been aimed, in particular, at making the war unbearable for the population by plunging them into cold and darkness. Never before has energy been so pervasive, at the heart of a war on such a scale. This has also posed a challenge for the humanitarian sector, which has had to demonstrate responsiveness and innovation.

Late in the night of February 23–24, 2022, the Ukrainian power grid was disconnected from the Russian grid. In the early morning of February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

From the very start of the conflict in February 2022, Russian attacks on the Ukrainian power grid and the sudden halt of its gas exports to Europe have had a direct impact not only on the Ukrainian people, plunged into “cold and darkness,” but also the global population, which faced skyrocketing energy costs in Europe and a food crisis in Africa. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the fundamental importance of energy.

Handling the urgency

In mid-March 2022, Electricians Without Borders was approached by the president of EDSO, one of the European associations of electricity distributors, to help Ukrainian distributors repair their bombed-out networks. Thanks to the support of our partners Prysmian and Nexans, we were quickly able to send dozens of kilometers of cable to the Ukrainian company DTEK.

The prospect of a winter 2022–2023 in which Ukraine’s energy infrastructure would be severely damaged led us, in May 2022, to propose to the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs that we add heating solutions. As a result, we were able to mobilize and send more than 500 generators and nearly 15,000 electric heaters, with the support of the CDCS and numerous players in the French electrical sector such as Rehlko, Enedis, RTE, EDF, Intuis, and Atlantic.

In addition to logistics, we had to work with Ukrainian associations, humanitarian NGOs, local authorities, businesses, and Ukrainian and French government agencies to identify the recipients of this equipment, based on priority needs and local capacity to install and operate it. From Lviv to Kharkiv, from Pavlograd to Chernihiv, over the past three years, some thirty Electricians Without Borders volunteers have planned and supervised the shipment of equipment and installation projects, connected generators, inspected completed installations, and trained Ukrainian technicians.

Aware of the climatic and logistical limitations of temporary solutions based on generators, several thousand solar kits were also sent to schools and hospitals, along with 100,000 LED bulbs to reduce electricity consumption and save kWh.

Thus, after a period during which Ukraine’s energy infrastructure had been targeted, albeit in a differentiated manner depending on the evolution of the military situation, starting in October 2022, Russia has been carrying out massive attacks—involving nearly 100 drones or missiles per day from 2022 to 2024— the strikes have intensified significantly in recent months, often involving more than 500 drones or missiles daily—targeting substations and power lines, as well as power plants, causing widespread power outages and irreversible damage. Russia’s objective is now clearly to destroy these facilities with no intention of restoring them in the medium term, disregarding all principles of International Humanitarian Law. On February 14, 2025, a Russian drone even struck the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, piercing the containment structure protecting Reactor No. 4, triggering a fire, and compromising the integrity of the structure built in 2016.

Sustaining the Effort

Over time and as Russian strategy evolved, the forms of aid prioritized by national authorities changed. Whereas after the first winter, Ukrainian electricity operators under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy sought only to rebuild what had been destroyed while maintaining the existing centralized system, most are now calling for energy efficiency and for scaling up decentralized production of autonomous and renewable energy, to better withstand attacks and provide greater resilience.

In the spring of 2023, Electriciens sans frontières proposed launching a program of hybrid systems consisting of solar panels, batteries, and a backup generator to enhance the self-sufficiency of essential facilities. In just under three years, with the support of the CDCS, Electricians Without Borders has been able to install nearly 3 MWp of photovoltaic capacity across 140 critical infrastructure sites, such as hospitals, pumping stations, and schools, to ensure their electrical self-sufficiency in the event of a power outage.

The request made on June 20, 2024, by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that “solar panels and energy storage units must be installed in every school and every hospital as soon as possible” has led to the launch of many other solar projects.

For the 2025/2026 winter season now coming to a close, in addition to continuing the installation of photovoltaic systems, we were able to ship and connect more than 150 generators in collaboration with Stand with Ukraine and French and Ukrainian local authorities.

This approach, based on the energy resilience of critical infrastructure, is fully replicable in other crisis contexts. Electricity alone does not save lives, but without electricity, no one can be saved. In Lebanon, Gaza, or Syria, there are many challenges in protecting civilian populations. Electricians Without Borders is already addressing these challenges, as in Lebanon, by converting pumping stations to solar power to ensure a continuous water supply for civilians.

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Between September and December 2025, intensified strikes caused considerable damage: approximately 8.5 GW of generation capacity (thermal, cogeneration, and hydroelectric power plants) was affected.

Despite ongoing repair efforts, only 3.6 GW could be restored, and these were often damaged again by subsequent attacks. The beginning of 2026 was marked by a new wave of large-scale strikes, combined with exceptionally harsh weather conditions.

That is why we are strengthening our commitment to helping civilians cope with widespread power outages.

View the full infographic report.
Report available in English and Ukrainian.

Since 2022, Electricians Without Borders has been working in Ukraine to address the energy crisis caused by the conflict. Thanks to the support of the Crisis and Support Center (CDCS) of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, French municipalities, the electricity sector, and local businesses and associations, we are taking action through two main initiatives:

• The implementation of hybrid solar solutions
• The deployment of emergency equipment to meet the immediate needs of the population during the winter

The escalation of attacks on the power grid: direct impacts on civilians

• 80% of electricity generation capacity has been affected since 2022.
• Some major cities, such as Kyiv, have experienced power outages lasting up to 18–20 hours a day.
• More than 1,000,000 households without electricity per day during peak attack periods in 2025.
• 1,951 cumulative hours of outages in 2024—nearly 12 weeks—compared to 700 hours in 2022—5 weeks.

4 years of commitment

In response to the increasing number of attacks and the escalation of hostilities in the eastern and southern regions, Electricians Without Borders is launching the SPHERE project, a new initiative aimed at deploying more than 40 additional hybrid power systems along the front lines.

Equipment to cope with winter:

Winters are brutal for civilian populations. In the face of widespread power outages, Electricians Without Borders is equipping essential buildings with generators, space heaters, solar lamps, and rechargeable batteries to move between different facilities.
The goal: to enable the population to get through the winter with a minimum level of safety and to combat the cold.

Monitored impact

 

Hervé Gouyet.

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To learn more about the project:

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Electricians Without Borders, an international solidarity NGO, works to combat inequalities in access to electricity and water around the world. With the support of 1,200 volunteers and in partnership with local stakeholders, we promote economic and human development through the use of renewable energy.

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Partage-Amitié-Solidarité Association, ADEME, Bizline, CCAS, Bures-sur-Yvette, Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Clean Horizon Consulting, Municipality of Fontanes, Hauts-de-France Regional Council, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Council, Dunkirk, Ecosystem, EDF Chinon, EDF Solar Solutions, ENEDIS, Euro-Metropolis of Strasbourg, Alstom Foundation, Fondation de France, EDF Group Foundation, Grand Orient de France Foundation, Schneider Electric Foundation, Franconville, Frégate Aéro, Graines, Intuis, Kinect Energy, La Rochelle Metropolitan Area, Legrand, Les Copains de Pauline Rhône-Alpes, Lyon City Hall, Marcilly-le-Châtel, Megève Ski Area, Amiens Metropolitan Area, Miidex Lighting, Clichy Office for European and International Exchanges, Peuples Solidaires Ballancourt, Phase Neutre, Région Sud, Rennes Métropole, Rotary Club of Dourdan, RTE, Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomération, Sicae de l’Oise, Siceco 21, Sigerly, Sied 70, SDE 25, SDE 35, SDE 22, SDEF 29, SYDESL 71, SDEEG 33, SIEIL 37, SIEL-Territoire d’énergie Loire, Sonepar France, SPIE Opérations et SA, SDEPA 64, Strasbourg, Urbasolar, City of Lille, City of Saint-Calais, City of Paris, City of Chaumont, Winter.

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