The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Shmyhal Denys, said today (2) that his country’s electricity system is about to be connected to the European grid.
“Ukraine is connecting to the European Network of Electricity Transmission System Operators [Reort, ou, no inglês, Entso-E]”, declared Denys, referring to the association created to interconnect the energy infrastructures of the member states. Currently, the Entso-E brings together power transmission companies from 35 countries.
Also in 2021, the Ukrainian government announced that it would disconnect the national system from the Russian and Belarusian supply networks and connect it to the European grid by 2023. that Russian military troops invaded the country and that Moldova also disconnected from the Russian and Belarusian electricity systems.
On a communiqué that the Russian news agency Tass reproduced on February 24, Ukrenergo confirms having disconnected the systems to start the final test phase necessary for “the future connection” of the Ukrainian grid with Entso-E.
Three days later, the Ukrainian state-owned company asked the operators of the European system to connect the Ukrainian and European networks as a matter of urgency, to avoid shortages amid Russian attacks.
On the following day (28), it was the turn of the Minister of Energy of Ukraine, German Galushchenko, to appeal to his European peers to help “accelerate” the interconnection of the Ukrainian grid to the European one.
Yesterday (1), the Board of Entso-E released a note in which it ensures that the European system operators are “committed to the synchronization of the Ukrainian and Moldovan energy networks” and in ensuring the supply of electricity to Ukraine.
In the note, the transnational network guarantees that it has already expressed itself on the importance of a “quick decision” on the request for emergency interconnection of the networks, but explained that this still depends on some measures, without setting deadlines.
“Identification of conditions for urgent synchronization will include a security and stability assessment; operational, legal and regulatory, as well as Information Technology, including Cybersecurity”, highlights Entso-E, acknowledging Ukraine’s “exceptional efforts” to maintain electricity supply “in these difficult times”.
