La Croix: Are you able today to supply all the Ukrainian towns with electricity?
German Galushchenko : We generate enough electricity to power all of Ukraine. We have great difficulties in the east of the country because of the bombardments, which destroy the power lines. We have to fix it, but we’re getting there. Intervention teams are working day and night in critical conditions to reconnect lines. Of course, it is particularly difficult in combat zones. We have to wait for local ceasefires. But our teams manage to carry out these repairs.
In the last twenty-four hours, we have thus been able to reconnect nearly 72,000 homes to the network, mainly in the Sumy region (north-east). To date, 720,000 inhabitants remain without electricity in Ukraine, mainly in the city of Mariupol, which is completely disconnected from the network, and in the Donetsk region.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been taken over by the Russian army. Are you worried about losing control of other plants, and what might be the consequences?
GG : There is no immediate risk of losing control of another nuclear power plant. But we don’t know what tomorrow will bring… We have sufficient production to meet our needs and we have additional production capacities that can be activated. Electricity in Ukraine is 50% nuclear, 20% renewable and 30% thermal.
MAINTENANCE. “At the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the reactors are protected by a concrete enclosure”
Ukraine disconnected its electricity grid from the Russian grid a few days ago. It is now planned to couple it to the European network. Is it soon?
GG : We hope. We need to be able to demonstrate that our network is stable. But this is the case, despite the situation. So I hope we can join the European network on March 14th. The decision of course depends on the European side, and the date is not yet certain. But Europe is showing a positive approach. I believe the decision has already been made. So it could be done soon.
How is the work organized during this period? Is the whole government in Kyiv?
GG : I’m in Kiev, it’s no secret. And so is the whole government. Everyone is at their post. We conduct meetings. We are organized to be able to make quick decisions. The whole administration works according to a normal regime. President Zelensky is constantly asked this question and he answers it through his videos. He says he stays in Kyiv and the administration is also in place. We are all at work.
What, in the current situation, would be most useful to help Ukraine, in your opinion?
GG : What we need most, President Zelensky has said, is an air protection zone, so as to prevent bombardments by Russian planes.