Russia slams Ukraine's energy grid as winter sets in. How one plant copes : NPR

This content features a photo essay depicting workers at a Ukrainian thermal power plant repairing the facility after rocket strikes in order to restore power as temperatures drop. The photos show the workers in action, clearing debris and wreckage caused by the attacks. The story highlights the challenges and fears faced by the workers as they continue their work in a dangerous environment. Bu içerik, Ukrayna’daki bir termal enerji santraline yapılan Rus füze saldırısı sonucu hasar gören bir bölümü gösteren bir fotoğraf içermektedir. Saldırının ardından tesis çalışanları, enerji temini ve ısıtmanın devam etmesi için her gün tesise geri dönüp onarımlar yapmaktadır. Rus saldırıları, Ukrayna’nın enerji altyapısının büyük bir kısmını etkilemiş ve bu yıl içerisinde 11 büyük saldırıya maruz kalmıştır. Fotoğrafın kredisi Simona Supino’ya aittir. Ukrainian private energy supplier DTEK reports that Russia has repeatedly targeted a thermal power plant in Ukraine since the 2022 invasion. Workers at the plant are working tirelessly to repair critical infrastructure damaged by Russian bombings, knowing that further attacks are possible. To address the power shortages caused by the attacks, Ukraine has resorted to emergency imports of electricity from neighboring countries and implemented rolling blackouts. Citizens in Ukraine, like investment analyst Yevhen Hutman and nonprofit worker Anastasiia Shalukina, have taken measures to prepare for power outages and security risks. Despite the challenges, the workers at the power plant, led by manager Oleksandr, have adapted to the constant threat of attacks and continue their work to restore the plant’s operations. This content describes the challenges faced by teams and crews at a Ukrainian power station as they deal with missile damage to equipment. The plant managers and repair teams, who were only trained for routine maintenance, are now learning on the job to repair and replace equipment damaged by missiles. The images show the impact of the attacks on the power station’s infrastructure. Bu içerikte, şirketin altyapısının büyük ölçüde hasar gördüğü veya yok edildiği belirtilmektedir. Fotoğraf kredisi Simona Supino’ya aittir. Ukrayna’da enerji şebekesine yönelik Rus saldırılarının neden olduğu büyük zararlar, Avrupa Birliği ve Amerika Birleşik Devletleri gibi müttefiklerin desteği olmasaydı çok daha kötü olabilirdi. Avrupa Birliği, Ukrayna’ya Rus merkez bankasının dondurulmuş varlıklarından elde edilen faizle finanse edilen 35 milyar avroluk kredi sağlamıştır. Ayrıca, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ve Avrupa Birliği, Rus dronlarını ve füzelerini vuran hava savunma sistemleri bağışlamıştır. ABD Uluslararası Kalkınma Ajansı, beton ve demir donatı gibi malzemeler sağlayarak Ukrenergo’ya, Ukrayna’nın devlet destekli enerji şirketine, en kritik enerji ekipmanını koruyan barınaklar inşa etmesinde yardımcı olmuştur. USAID Yöneticisi Samantha Power, Rusya’nın 2022 istilasından bu yana birkaç kez Ukrayna’ya seyahat etti ve Ekim ayındaki bir ziyareti sırasında bu yapıları inceledi. Trump yönetimi göreve geldikten sonra ABD’nin Ukrayna’yı desteklemeye devam edip etmeyeceği belirsizdir. President Biden is making efforts to provide as much aid as possible to Ukraine before his term ends. The International Energy Agency reported that Ukraine has lost 70% of its thermal generation capacity due to Russian strikes or occupation, leading to potential blackouts of up to 20 hours a day. In response, the EU and U.S. have allocated $112 million in energy equipment and building aid to DTEK, a private Ukrainian power company. This content discusses the ongoing aid being provided to Ukraine to help them withstand Russian attacks on their energy infrastructure, with the most recent attack occurring on Nov. 17. The CEO of DTEK, Maksym Timchenko, highlighted the unprecedented assault on Ukraine’s energy system by Russia and expressed gratitude for the support of their partners in standing strong against this threat. The article also describes the efforts of workers in Ukraine to repair power plants damaged by Russian strikes, showcasing the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people in the face of adversity. The included image depicts staff at a Ukrainian power station working to repair the plant after a Russian attack, with teams on cranes and crews on the muddy ground. The caption credits Simona Supino for NPR for the image. Bu içerikte, bir enerji santralinin ekipmanlarını onarmaya odaklanan ekiplerin çalışmaları hakkında bilgi verilmektedir. Bir mekanik olan Petro ve ekibi, kömür atığı pompalayan boruları değiştirmek üzeredir. Petro, işlerinin donma başlamadan önce bitirilmesi gerektiğini belirtmektedir. Rus saldırısının tekrarlanmadığından emin olmak için en azından önce bitirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu içerik, içerik açıklaması oluşturma konusunda bir örnek metin içermektedir. İçerik açıklaması, bir içeriğin kısa ve öz bir şekilde tanıtılmasını sağlar ve okuyucuların içeriğin ne hakkında olduğunu hızlıca anlamasına yardımcı olur. İçerik açıklaması oluştururken içeriğin ana konusunu, önemli noktalarını ve hedef kitlesini belirterek içeriğin değerini vurgulamak önemlidir. Bu örnek metin, içerik açıklaması oluşturma konusunda bir referans olarak kullanılabilir. Bu içerikte, içerik açıklaması oluşturulması gerekmektedir. İçeriğin hangi konuları ele aldığı, hangi bilgileri içerdiği ve ne tür bilgiler sunmayı amaçladığı belirtilmelidir. Bu sayede okuyucular içeriğin içeriğine dair daha net bir fikir edinebilirler. Ayrıca içeriğin ne tür bir kitleye hitap ettiği de açıklamada belirtilmelidir. Bu şekilde içerik hakkında daha fazla bilgi sahibi olunabilir. Bu içerikte, içerik açıklaması oluşturulması gerekiyor. İçerik açıklaması, içeriğin konusu, amacı ve ana fikirlerini özetleyen bir metindir. Bu metin, okuyucuların içeriği daha iyi anlamalarına ve içerik hakkında daha fazla bilgi sahibi olmalarına yardımcı olacaktır. İçerik açıklaması, içeriği tanımlayan, özetleyen ve merak uyandıran bir metin olmalıdır. Bu içeriğin konusu ne ise, bu konu hakkında temel bilgiler içermeli ve okuyucuların içeriği doğru bir şekilde anlamalarını sağlamalıdır.
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Workers at a Ukrainian thermal power plant are repairing the facility after rocket strikes to restore power as temperatures drop, Oct. 4.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series on Ukraine’s energy industry under attack. Click here for a photo essay from Ukrainian coal country.

AT A UKRAINIAN POWER PLANT — Donning hard hats and thick uniforms, Lesia and Nadia sweep pulverized concrete out of a dark, broken room inside the thermal power plant where they’ve worked for years.

The women normally would be operating the conveyor belt that delivers coal, Ukraine’s primary fuel source, to the plant’s furnace. Instead they are clearing the conveyor belt’s remains after a Russian missile attack earlier this year.

“I did not think this would ever be a dangerous job,” Nadia says.

“We love our work,” Lesia adds, “but we have a constant feeling of fear.”

Lesia used to operate the conveyor belt at a Ukrainian energy station that brings coal to the plant’s furnaces. Now she clears the belt’s wreckage as a new one is built. She has survived three rocket strikes on the plant. “We have a constant feeling of fear,” she says.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

Lesia remembers the day of the attack, how everyone ran to the bomb shelter as the air raid siren blared.

“We stayed there a long time, like three hours,” she says. “We hoped the missile would hit somewhere else. But it came right at our plant. We heard the explosions from the shelter.”

For months now, she and her colleagues have returned to the plant every day to fix it and help keep the lights and heat on as winter sets in.

A new reality

This plant is owned by DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy supplier. It says Russia has attacked its facilities nearly 200 times since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Much of the company’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

The company requested that NPR not disclose either the plant’s location or the last names of workers to avoid giving Russian forces any information that might help target the energy company workers and facilities.

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid have been so frequent this year that they have knocked out more than half of Ukraine’s energy-generating capacity. On Nov. 28, after Russia’s 11th mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to strike again with a new ballistic missile that has nuclear capabilities.

A section of a thermal power plant in Ukraine is destroyed after a rocket strike.

A section of a thermal power plant in Ukraine destroyed after a Russian rocket strike. Ukrainian private energy supplier DTEK says Russia has struck the plant multiple times since the 2022 invasion.

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Simona Supino for NPR

Workers race to rebuild a thermal power plant in Ukraine that was heavily damaged by Russian bombs.

Workers put in extra shifts to repair the plant’s critical infrastructure, knowing that Russia could strike the plant again.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

To cope with the attacks, Ukraine has turned to emergency imports of electricity from neighboring countries and enacted rolling blackouts. Homes and businesses have backup generators on hand.

In Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, Yevhen Hutman, a 40-year-old investment analyst for startups, says most people are prepared for power outages.

“Nobody wants this tough winter,” he says. “We have our power banks. We have all the stuff we need to, for example, work from home. But yeah, it’s tiring.”

Anastasiia Shalukina, a 25-year-old nonprofit worker, has backup power at home and carries a tourniquet when she goes out due to frequent attacks.

“When I’m going abroad, when I hear fireworks,” she says, “I [get] a panic attack.”

“We had to get used to it”

The power plant NPR is visiting has already been attacked several times, according to plant manager Oleksandr.

“There was a lot of panic the first time,” he says. “We are civilians, we aren’t trained to deal with this. After the first couple of strikes, though, it became clear that this was not going to end, and we had to get used to it.”

Oleksandr walks us through the vast grounds of the plant on a chilly, rainy day. Everyone is busy repairing something or clearing parts of buildings damaged by Russian strikes. There are teams on cranes, and crews on the muddy ground.

“We are civilians, we aren’t trained to deal with this,” says Oleksandr, the plant manager at a Ukrainian power station. “After the first couple of strikes, though, it became clear that this was not going to end, and we had to get used to it.”

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

Vasyl, another manager, who is in charge of repairs, sidesteps a pile of crushed bricks and says that his team had only been trained for routine maintenance.

“Now they mainly fix or replace equipment damaged by missiles,” he says. “Boilers, turbines, generators, and also equipment that provides fuel supply. All this needs to be restored.”

His staff, he says, is learning as they go, following safety precautions in case something collapses.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy supplier, says Russia has attacked its facilities nearly 200 times since the Russian invasion in February 2022. Much of the company’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid have been so frequent this year that they have knocked out more than half of Ukraine’s energy-generating capacity.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

Nearby, another crew in heavy protective gear is repairing the plant’s outdoor switchyard, which connects the station to the transmission network. The crew’s leader, Andriy, asks NPR’s team to stay back to avoid getting electrocuted.

“We restored and replaced all those wires there,” he says, pointing. “You can see the new ones. Everything was damaged when the missile exploded overhead.”

Aided by allies

This scene is playing out at power plants all over Ukraine. Energy officials say the damage likely would have been much worse if Ukraine didn’t have support from allies like the European Union and the United States.

In October, EU lawmakers approved loaning Ukraine 35 billion euros ($38 billion), financed by interest from frozen Russian central bank assets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that one of his top priorities was to rebuild Ukraine’s energy network.

The EU and the U.S. have also donated air defense systems that shoot down Russian drones and missiles.

Meanwhile, Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-run energy company, has used materials like concrete and rebar supplied by the U.S. Agency for International Development to build shelters shielding the most critical energy equipment. USAID Administrator Samantha Power, who has traveled to Ukraine several times since Russia’s 2022 invasion, examined one of these structures during a visit in October.

“What we have learned over this very difficult wartime period is that there is no panacea for Putin’s brutality, no inoculation,” she told NPR then.

“But if something slips past air defense, if the Ukrainians are not able to shoot down a drone or a missile, this type of physical protection — the concrete, the rebar, the mesh — has made a profound difference in keeping energy online,” she added.

It’s not clear the U.S. will continue supporting Ukraine once the Trump administration takes office. President Biden is trying to push through as much Ukraine aid as possible before his term ends.

Workers operate equipment at a thermal power plant in Ukraine.

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Simona Supino for NPR

“No country in modern times has faced such an onslaught against its energy system,” Maksym Timchenko, CEO of Ukrainian energy company DTEK, said in a recent statement.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

In a September report by the Paris-based International Energy Agency, Ukraine had already lost about 70% of its thermal generation capacity since this spring due to Russian strikes or occupation. (The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which generated about a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity supply before Russia’s 2022 invasion, is under Russian control.) DiXi, a Ukrainian energy analytics group, predicts blackouts could last up to 20 hours a day if this winter is especially harsh.

A Sisyphean task

Meanwhile, the EU and U.S. recently earmarked a combined $112 million in energy equipment and building for DTEK, the private Ukrainian power company. The aid is supposed to help Ukraine continue to weather Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, the most recent of which was on Nov. 17.

“No country in modern times has faced such an onslaught against its energy system,” DTEK CEO Maksym Timchenko said in a statement. “But with the help of our partners we continue to stand strong against Russia’s energy terror.”

The staff at a Ukrainian power station are busy repairing parts of the plant damaged by Russian strikes. There are teams on cranes, and crews on the muddy ground.

Simona Supino for NPR

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Simona Supino for NPR

Across Ukraine, workers continue the seemingly Sisyphean task of repairing power plants after each Russian attack.

At the DTEK plant visited by NPR, shattered windows are patched up with tarp. Buildings are scorched, with holes caused by missile shrapnel. Crews instead are focused only on fixing the equipment the plant needs to operate.