Enlarge image
Power line in Ukraine: Exporting electricity provides Ukraine with much-needed income
Photo: SERGEI ILNITSKY / EPA
Ukraine was connected to the European power grid in mid-March.
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the country has now also started to export electricity to the EU.
"An important stage in our rapprochement with the European Union has been reached," said Zelenskyy in a video message on Thursday evening.
Ukraine "has started to export electricity to the territory of the EU via Romania in significant quantities." This is "only the first stage.
We are preparing an increase in deliveries.”
"Ukrainian electricity can replace a significant part of the Russian gas consumed by Europeans," said President Zelenskyy.
"It's not just about export earnings for us, it's a question of security for all of Europe."
Wind power from the Black Sea?
Before the Russian war of aggression against the country began on February 24, the Ukrainian network was synchronized with the Russian network.
At the end of February, however, it was decoupled from neighboring Russia and Belarus on a Ukrainian initiative for a long-planned test, and shortly afterwards Putin's troops marched in.
The network was then in so-called isolated operation and was considered to be particularly vulnerable until it was connected to the European network of transmission system operators (ENTSO-E).
In addition, Ukraine had to put up with numerous attacks by Russia on its network and, in some cases, on its nuclear power plants.
Much of the electricity produced in Ukraine comes from nuclear power.
On Thursday, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that Ukraine could now export electricity to the EU market.
“It will provide the EU with an additional power source.
And Ukraine's much-needed revenue.
That's why we both benefit.«
The Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushenko had already offered Germany the supply of nuclear power last week.
In this way, he wrote in a guest article for the “Wirtschaftswoche” that “a kind of insurance cushion can be created in times of weather-related declining generation from solar and wind power plants”.
Germany and Ukraine could benefit from the different time and climate zones.
Galushenko knows about the difficult position of nuclear power from a German point of view - and in his contribution also brings solar and wind power from the coastal regions of the Black Sea into play.
Apr/AFP