Group companies in war time situation are continuing to invest in electrical power grids in order to prevent emergency shutdowns in winter.
Our task is to maintain the state’s energy system fully functional in difficult military conditions – Rivneoblenergo
The war and enemy attacks on infrastructure have shown how important and indispensable energy is for maintaining normal life even in areas relatively remote from the combat zone. Thanks to all the Ukrainian guardians of light, they managed to hold on to the country’s energy system after attempts to deliberately destroy it. And this is not only work on restoring damaged equipment, but also a search for such complex and non-standard operating modes of equipment, power supply circuits, which, apparently, have not had to be used in any country in the world.
All this would have been impossible without our highly professional staff, without our people,” said Sergiy Nevmerzhitsky, Chairman of the Board of PJSC “Rivneoblenergo”, “so first of all I want to thank all the employees of our enterprise for their dedication, for conscientious work for one goal - so that our consumers lived in comfort and coziness, even in difficult times of war.
Regarding the preparation of the region’s networks for the heating season, Sergiy Mykolayovych noted the following:
PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” began a repair campaign aimed at preventing emergency shutdowns in winter immediately after the last heating season. We focused on taking into account the experience of the previous winter - we ensured the protection of energy facilities, increased the emergency supply of fuel, materials, and spare parts by 30%. Also, PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” took care of backup power - to ensure uninterrupted communication with all areas, even in conditions of possible blackouts due to enemy attacks. Our staff worked out the actions in case of receiving a command from NPC Ukrenergo to promptly reduce power in the region’s networks. Of course, one of the main elements of strengthening the regional networks is their reconstruction and modernization. Despite the difficulties with financing during the war, PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” is implementing investment programs approved by the National Commission that carries out state regulation in the fields of energy and utilities. In particular, this year five 10/0.4 kV unloading transformer substations were installed in the Rivne and Dubensky districts, and three 10/0.4 kV distribution points were also reconstructed in the city of Rivne. Because last year, it was the residents of the regional center and nearby settlements who experienced the greatest inconvenience after the shelling of power equipment in the Rivne region.
Did the war make adjustments to the repair campaign?
Every year, in preparation for the heating season, we carry out a repair campaign to prevent failure of equipment and networks. This year, this work was organized even more carefully, taking into account the serious challenges for the energy system in war conditions. As of December 2023, our personnel have carried out repairs on 3,855 km of overhead lines. And this means replacing supports, wires, and insulators. We repaired almost 3 hundred 0.4-10 kV cable lines, carried out repairs on 662 6-10 kV substations, power transformers, switches, and cleaned more than 4 thousand kilometers of security zones of overhead lines.
The teams of PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” were among the first to begin restoring power grids in the deoccupied territories. Was such assistance provided in 2023?
Our teams began restoring damaged power grids back in October 2022, that is, de-occupying Kherson. All this year, our high-voltage workers, cable workers, and distribution network crews continued to work in the Kherson region and in the regional center itself, risking their lives, sometimes even under fire, and always accompanied by sappers. In total, our personnel made 15 shifts in the Kherson region. Our electricians restored electricity distribution in seven out of 11 communities in the Beryslav district. It was possible to put 15 35\10 kilovolt substations into operation and repair almost 160 km of damaged overhead lines. They provided the necessary equipment and supplied their staff with everything they needed. Four of our power engineers, in accordance with the Presidential Decree, received medals “For Labor and Valor” specifically for the restoration of power grids in the Kherson region. These are craftsmen Oleksandr Grodskyi and Oleksandr Prystupa, electricians for repairing overhead power lines Vadym Yaremchuk and Andrii Parkhomchuk.
Rivneoblenergo also responded to requests for help from the Chornobayivska, Bilozerska and Daryivska territorial communities of the Kherson region, which suffered from flooding as a result of the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric station by the invaders. In the summer, cargo with materials for drying and carrying out construction and restoration work was sent there twice from the Rivne region in the summer. For the assistance provided, PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” received gratitude from the Kherson Regional Military Administration.
Last year, PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” actively helped our military. Will this assistance continue in 2023?
We have the honor of helping our defenders since 2014. Since then, PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” has allocated more than UAH 17 million in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, charitable foundations and public organizations helping military personnel.
The enterprise transferred 43 units of transport to the needs of various units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, 3 vehicles were purchased for military personnel at the personal expense of the management of PJSC “Rivneoblenergo”, and another vehicle was purchased by the company’s staff. We bought drones, thermal imagers, ammunition and protective equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
106 power engineers of PJSC “Rivneoblenergo” have now been mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We are proud of each of them. Unfortunately, three employees of the company died while defending the Motherland. Last year, our team lost the 38-year-old deputy head of the substation service of PJSC “Rivneoblenergo”, Andrii Savonik. By decree of the President of Ukraine, the deceased defender was awarded the Order “For Courage” (posthumously). In 2023, Vasyl Ivanyuk, an electrician for operating distribution networks in the Berezniv section, joined the celestial squad of defenders; in July, Sergey Shymchuk, an electrician for servicing Rivneoblenergo substations, died in the Zaporizhzhia direction. Colleagues remember their work friends with pride and sadness.
What goals do you set for next 2024?
We will continue to do everything in our power to bring victory closer, we are working to expel the Russian occupiers from our land. We have more than 400 thousand subscribers in the region, for whom electricity is life, work, health, protection... We work day and night, in snow and rain, to provide comfort to our fellow countrymen 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
