Energy in Ukraine
Ukraine mostly uses energy from gas in Ukraine|gas], followed by nuclear, oil and coal. The country has a diversified energy mix. Most gas and oil is imported, and energy policy prioritises energy security and diversifying energy supply. Integration with EU energy is in the energy strategy to 2050, and resilience and net zero carbon emissions. The energy and climate plan to 2030 includes efficiency.
Ukraine’s gas network has much storage, which can be useful for storing Europe's gas to even out supply and demand, and in the first quarter of the 21st century it transited much Russian natural gas to Europe. Energy infrastructure is much changed due to the Russo-Ukrainian war: some has been destroyed by Russian attacks, but wind farms and solar power are thought to be resilient because they are distributed. The coal industry has been disrupted by the war, and most electricity generation is nuclear.
Policy
Energy policy includes aligning with the Energy policy of the European Union.History
When Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, large energy systems were constructed to meet the needs of industry and to provide redundancy in case of a war with NATO, and after independence it relied on cheap energy from Russia. But since the fall of Yanukovych governments have tried to integrate with energy in the EU, before the full scale invasion there were mostly monopolies.In 2011, Ukraine joined the European Energy Community, however there has been slow progress on implementing European energy regulations. Energy infrastructure is somewhat resilient due to overbuilding by the Soviet Union.
Fossil fuel subsidies were USD 1.6 billion in 2021.
Heating
District heating has been attacked and significantly damaged. In 2024 the International Energy Agency wrote about heat supply to Ukraine’s major cities. “Most attacks on heating infrastructure have occurred in regions close to the front lines. The Kharkiv region is now without large-scale heat generating capacity and other frontline regions – particularly Chernihiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Mykolaiv – have suffered severe damage to their heat generation capacities. Heat supply is also at risk in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.”Efficiency and demand response
it is much less energy efficient than the EU. In 2024 the IEA recommended engaging consumers in energy saving and demand response, while continuing investments in energy efficiency. They said that “a social tariff that safeguards a certain volume of consumption at subsidised rates, after which consumers pay a higher price, would help to incentivise efficient practices and investments, supported by public information campaigns that advise on energy efficiency measures for immediate impact as well as longer-term gains. Lowering the default temperature for district heating can also provide quick savings.”Personnel and finance
Ukraine signed a loan agreement in-principle for $3.65 billion with the China Development Bank in 2012, during President Viktor Yanukovich's term of office, contingent on the development of agreed projects in the coal and gas sectors. However, by 2017 Ukraine had not agreed any suitable projects due to a "lack of convergence in the positions of and the energy ministry". Elementum Energy Ltd owns the most power plants. In 2025 financial assistance is needed for emergency repairs. households were still paying less than the market price.The European Investment Bank is financing municipal district heating and energy efficiency projects. Although by 2024 more women were working in the energy sector than before they were still underrepresented in leadership positions.