The Guardian: ‘Someone has to stay’: How Ukrainian power plant workers keep the country running

“A power station is a tricky thing, there were always small things going wrong and things you had to fix, but we could never have imagined anything like this in our worst nightmares.”

Deputy chief engineer Oleksandr spoke to Guardian correspondent Shaun Walker as he reported on the challenges facing Ukrainian thermal power plant workers. Documenting the impact of russian missile strikes on DTEK's energy infrastructure, the article details the operational conditions of DTEK thermal power plant during the ongoing war.

With 27 years of experience at the plant, Oleksandr described the extensive damage from multiple russian strikes, including a ten-metre girder impaled in the floor and machinery covered in shrapnel marks. Roof damage has left sections exposed, with rain pooling on the plant's floors.

Yevhen, a plant veteran who has worked for 17 years at the site, explained the critical nature of maintaining operations: "It's expensive and dangerous to turn everything off quickly, and so someone has to stay here to keep control." Since 2022, three DTEK workers have been killed and 56 injured during their working shifts.

The thermal power plant represents a crucial part of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, with DTEK-owned facilities providing both electricity and employment for hundreds of workers. Despite repeated missile attacks, the plant continues to operate, maintaining critical energy supply.

"Even if the war stopped tomorrow, it would take years of repairs to get this back to the level it was before the start," Oleksandr said, highlighting the long-term impact of the attacks.

Read the original article on The Guardian's website.
Photograph: Simona Supino/The Guardian.