Ukraine plans record power imports after infrastructure damage
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine plans record electricity imports from five European countries on Monday after reporting significant energy infrastructure damage from Russian strikes, the energy ministry said.
Imports are expected to rise to 19,484 megawatt hours (Mwh), beating the record of 18,649 Mwh at the end of March after the first wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy sector.
With the country facing a significant deficit in the system, it plans to import power from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Moldova on Monday.
Last week's combined attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure caused serious damage at three thermal power plants, piling more pressure on the country's power grid.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's energy sector have intensified since March, dealing significant damage and causing blackouts in many regions.
The attacks have resulted in more than $1 billion of damage to the sector, said Ukrainian energy minister German Galushchenko.
Thermal and hydropower facilities as well as power transmission systems bore the brunt of the attacks, resulting in the loss of about 80% of Ukraine's thermal power generation capacity and increasing reliance on its three nuclear power plants, which produce about 50% of the country's electricity.
(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Editing by Toby Chopra and David Goodman)
