Some 85% of Zaporizhia region's energy capacity in Ukraine lost or destroyed during war – official at URC-2025
Over the course of more than three years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, 85% of the energy infrastructure in the Zaporizhia region has been lost or destroyed due to occupation and shelling, with nearly 70% of the region's territory currently occupied, said Ivan Fedorov, Head of the Zaporizhia Regional State Administration.
"More than 85% of our energy capacity is now either completely destroyed or fully occupied by Russian forces. Before the war, Zaporizhia generated every fourth kilowatt of electricity in Ukraine. We had the largest nuclear power plant in Europe – the Zaporizhia NPP. In addition, we had the Zaporizhia thermal power plant and the country's largest wind power capacity, thanks to the strong winds along the Azov coast," Fedorov said during a panel discussion on investing in Ukraine's energy resilience and recovery at the URC-2025 in Rome on Wednesday, according to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reporting from the event.
According to his presentation, the remaining energy assets in Ukrainian-controlled territory include the Dniprovska Hydropower Plant, whose capacity has dropped tenfold – from 1.6 GW to 157 MW – due to attacks; four industrial cogeneration units with a combined capacity of 80 MW (partially operational); 91 MW of industrial solar power; 10 MW of residential solar capacity; and 4.2 MW of bioenergy.
Current regional priorities include deploying distributed solar power systems on public and administrative buildings. In 2025, 23 solar plants totaling 2.2 MW are scheduled for launch – three have already been installed, two are in the final stage, and 18 are at various phases of development.
The region is also studying the potential deployment of an additional 93 MW of solar capacity on municipal property with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Fedorov also noted the installation of gas-based generation for critical infrastructure facilities in the region.
"With support from the European Investment Bank and a credit line from Ukrgasbank, we've installed nine gas turbines, and every day they provide electricity for our hospitals, schools, and other social facilities. But this is still not enough. Our task for the next season is to provide alternative generation for all critical infrastructure," the regional governor explained. He added that the administration's goal is "to deliver, install, and connect dozens of turbines" to ensure access to water and heating for the region's current population of 750,000.
He also highlighted cooperation with the state energy trader Energy Company of Ukraine, which he said is helping improve the efficiency of distributed generation systems in the region.
Fedorov thanked international and domestic partners for their support and emphasized that only a joint effort among all stakeholders can lead to substantial progress.
"Neither the UNDP, nor the regional government, nor the city, nor any bank can deliver an effective product on their own. But when we join forces around a common goal, we can move faster than anyone else," he stressed.
