DTEK has won the Workforce Award at the 2026 International Energy Awards, presented during International Energy Week in London – one of the energy sector's most prominent annual gatherings.
The award recognises Ukraine's Hidden Army, a programme that brought women into underground mining roles for the first time in the country’s history.
Launched after more than 15% of DTEK’s underground workforce was mobilised to serve in the armed forces, the initiative helped keep coal production running during wartime. Following emergency changes to labour legislation in spring 2022, women stepped into roles previously closed to them.
Today, more than 580 women work across DTEK mines, accounting for 5% of the underground workforce. They operate heavy machinery, repair electrical systems and drive locomotives up to 340 metres below ground.
Each recruit completes two months of theoretical training at Academy DTEK before moving to practical work underground. The skills they gained will support Ukraine’s wider energy recovery and transition.
Read more about the programme as featured in New Energy World, published by the Energy Institute here.
