Rebuild Ukraine Forum 2026 / Panel Vb / 22 October 2026

The panel examined the urgent need to restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, strengthen its resilience against continued Russian attacks, and attract investment in a more flexible and sustainable energy system. Oleksiy Povolotskiy highlighted the extensive damage inflicted on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, emphasizing the urgent need to restore generation, transmission, and distribution capacity ahead of winter. He identified four key priorities: repairing damaged infrastructure, strengthening passive protection for energy facilities, expanding air defence capabilities, and maintaining reserves of equipment and spare parts to enable rapid repairs. He also called for stronger international support, including the provision of decommissioned equipment from neighbouring countries, and stressed that investment must begin before the war ends. Highlighting opportunities for Romanian-Ukrainian cooperation, he presented plans for a 660 MW wind energy project and large-scale cogeneration developments, while advocating a balanced energy system combining centralised generation with decentralised renewable sources and battery storage.

Roman Nitsovych discussed the factors shaping the commercial viability of energy investments, including resilience, operational costs, predictable revenues, access to financing, and manageable financial risks. He outlined existing and emerging support mechanisms for renewable energy, storage, and ancillary services, while emphasizing the importance of market liberalisation, regulatory predictability, and more efficient permitting procedures. He also highlighted the potential for cross-border interconnections between Ukraine and Romania to strengthen regional energy security.

Oleksandr Vizir stressed that despite the destruction or occupation of major energy facilities, Ukraine’s energy system continues to function and offers significant investment opportunities, particularly in smaller projects that can be developed and connected to the grid relatively quickly. He highlighted the strong potential of battery storage, which can help investors benefit from fluctuations in electricity prices, as well as opportunities to use underutilised grid connections and municipal infrastructure. Addressing the balance between centralised and decentralised generation, he argued that reconstruction should combine distributed energy resources with large-scale and nuclear generation, building a more resilient system that keeps electricity affordable for households and industry.

Pavol Stuller outlined the priorities for Ukraine’s energy transformation across the short, medium, and long term, from keeping existing infrastructure operational through the winter to modernising distribution networks and investing in smart grids, nuclear energy, and small modular reactors. He emphasised the importance of selecting appropriate technologies, developing domestic capabilities, and balancing decentralisation with strategic investment in large-scale assets to ensure long-term energy security and economic stability.

Moderator Laurențiu Pachiu guided the discussion towards the commercial and strategic viability of future energy projects, the balance between large-scale generation and decentralised renewables, and opportunities for onshore and offshore cooperation between Romania and Ukraine in the Black Sea region. He also raised questions about market liberalisation, political influence over energy pricing, and the role of private investment in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.