The war accelerates Ukraine’s energy transition: €450 million for wind power

DTEK, Ukraine’s leading private energy producer, announces a record €450 million investment to expand wind energy, marking a significant step in the nation’s energy transformation accelerated by the conflict with Russia.

Share:

The war in Ukraine has reshaped the country’s energy strategies. Facing Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, Ukraine is now focusing on a decentralized and resilient energy model. According to Maxym Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, the nation’s largest private energy producer, this transition is driven by the urgent need to secure energy supplies while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, DTEK announced a historic €450 million investment for the purchase of 64 turbines from Danish manufacturer Vestas. These turbines will facilitate the expansion of the Tyligulska wind farm near the Black Sea. Partially financed by loans guaranteed by the Danish public fund EIFO, this project underscores Ukraine’s commitment to diversifying its energy sources despite ongoing challenges.

Energy resilience at the core of strategy

Wind and solar energy play a key role in this transformation. Unlike thermal and hydraulic power plants, renewable energy infrastructure is harder to target and destroy. According to Timchenko, each turbine can be connected to the grid as soon as it is installed, offering valuable flexibility. The goal is to add 60 megawatts to the grid by winter 2025 and reach a total capacity of 500 megawatts by the end of 2026. This would provide enough electricity for approximately 900,000 Ukrainian households.

Ongoing future projects

Simultaneously, DTEK is working on an energy storage project in partnership with Fluence, a German-American company specializing in this field. This infrastructure, expected to be operational by October, is part of a broader effort to ensure energy security. The company is also exploring new partnerships to develop additional wind farms, further solidifying its position in the renewable energy sector.

Currently, solar and wind power account for only 10% of Ukraine’s total electricity production, compared to 20% from gas and coal plants and 55% from nuclear energy. While the existing model remains vulnerable to Russian strikes, initiatives like DTEK’s aim to mitigate these risks by multiplying decentralized installations.

Challenges for a pressured sector

Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has faced repeated attacks. In 2024, all of DTEK’s power plants were targeted, leading to temporary shutdowns and a loss of production capacity. Despite this, approximately 60% to 70% of total production has been restored, allowing the country to avoid major blackouts through imports and reduced energy consumption.

Maxym Timchenko remains optimistic about the country’s ability to maintain stable supplies this winter. This confidence stems from combined efforts to diversify energy sources, protect infrastructure, and mobilize international funding.

German group wpd takes over the teams and a portfolio of 17 wind projects from Calycé, consolidating its position in the French market and expanding its regional presence, particularly in the Grand Est, with the support of Envinergy.
SPIE Wind Connect partners with Van Oord to connect and test 21 high-voltage cables for the Windanker offshore wind farm, marking a key milestone in the development of Germany’s offshore wind sector.
Envision Energy and FERA Australia announce an agreement to develop up to 1 GW of wind and 1.5 GWh of storage on the Australian market, laying the foundation for a new hybrid power plant model.
German group RWE has completed installation of all 100 monopile foundations at Sofia, a 1.4 GW offshore wind farm located 195 kilometres from the British coast, marking a major step in the construction of the project.
Greece’s wind sector reaches a new milestone with 5.5 GW installed, driven by 37 new turbines and €180 mn in investments during the first half of 2025, according to ELETAEN.
Nomura Real Estate has signed a power purchase agreement for its new Tokyo headquarters with wpd and GPSS Group, supplying the Higashi Izu Furusato wind project with a capacity of 7.48 MW.
Energiequelle completes the commissioning of two Enercon E-160 turbines in Raßlitz, replacing previous models and increasing the installed capacity of the Saxony site more than fivefold.
Ørsted has completed a $2.75bn project financing with 25 banks and five export credit agencies for the 632 MW Greater Changhua 2 offshore wind farm in Taiwan, strengthening its industrial partnership strategy. —
Masdar and Iberdrola announce a joint investment of €5.2 billion in the East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom and full commissioning of the German Baltic Eagle project (476 MW).
Energiekontor AG has secured contracts for four wind projects with a total capacity of 125 megawatts, following the Federal Network Agency's May 2025 tender in Germany.
Ecopetrol S.A. finalises the acquisition of Wind Autogeneración from Enel S.A.S., thereby taking over the Windpeshi wind project in Colombia, with a planned capacity of 205 MW, aimed at the Colombian oil group's energy self-consumption.
Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. and Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. secured an exclusive investigative use permit in the Hecate Strait, paving the way for Canada's first major offshore wind project, targeting capacity of up to 700 MW.
German manufacturer Nordex will supply 13 N163/6.X wind turbines to developer SAB WindTeam for a 91 MW wind farm in Brandenburg, with commissioning scheduled for early 2027 and an extended 20-year service agreement.
EDF is delaying the start-up of the Calvados offshore wind farm by more than two years, citing extended adjustments to a drilling tool vital for installing the sixty-four monopile foundations off Courseulles-sur-Mer.
German company NeXtWind signs historic €1.4 billion debt financing to accelerate expansion and modernisation of its onshore wind farms and reach a total capacity of 3 GW by 2028.
Energy company TGS has won a major high-resolution geophysical imaging contract for offshore wind site characterization in Norway, strengthening its position in this rapidly growing market.
Iberdrola Australia secures crucial approval from Australian authorities to begin metocean studies for its 3GW Aurora Green offshore project off the coast of Victoria, marking a decisive stage in its development.
ENGIE begins full operation of the Red Sea Wind Energy wind farm in Egypt, increasing its capacity to 650 MW, four months ahead of schedule, now powering over one million homes in the region.
Tokyo Gas, through TOWII Renewables, a joint venture with EWII, purchases two onshore wind projects developed by Finnish company Puhuri, totalling 74.4 MW, marking its expansion beyond the Danish market.
The European Investment Bank grants EWE AG historic €450mn financing for the installation of 2,600 km of underground power lines and the upgrade of over 1,100 substations in Lower Saxony.