Ukraine’s state-owned energy company says all of its power plants are down after Russia’s ‘largest-ever attack’ – The Kyiv Independent

Report on the Destruction of Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

On November 8, a large-scale attack by Russian forces resulted in the complete operational failure of all thermal power plants (TPPs) managed by Centrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned energy company. This event represents a significant setback for Ukraine’s progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Details of the November 8 Attack

• Scale of Attack: Described as the “largest Russian attack” on these facilities, involving a simultaneous strike on all Centrenergo TPPs.
• Munitions Deployed: A total of 458 drones (primarily Shahed-type) and 45 cruise and ballistic missiles were launched against Ukraine.
• Ukrainian Air Defense Response: Air defense forces successfully intercepted 406 drones and 9 missiles.
• Primary Targets: Major cities including Kremenchuk, Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv were targeted, leading to widespread emergency power outages.

Impact on Centrenergo’s Generation Capacity

The attack completely neutralized the generation capacity of Centrenergo’s assets, which had been undergoing restoration following previous attacks. The status of the company’s three TPPs is as follows:

1. Trypillia TPP (Kyiv Oblast): Rendered non-operational by the attack.
2. Zmiivska TPP (Kharkiv Oblast): Previously destroyed in the spring of 2024 and targeted again, nullifying all restoration efforts.
3. Vuhlehirska TPP (Donetsk Oblast): Under Russian occupation since July 2022 and also impacted by attacks.

The company confirmed that the attack destroyed all recently restored generation capacity, reducing the plants’ power output to zero.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): The systematic destruction of energy infrastructure directly undermines the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all. The loss of TPPs cripples the national grid, threatening energy security and access for millions of citizens, especially with the onset of winter.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Attacks on critical infrastructure render cities and settlements unsafe, unsustainable, and non-resilient. The resulting power cuts disrupt essential services, including heating, water supply, and healthcare, directly contravening the goal of making human settlements inclusive, safe, and sustainable.
• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): These targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure represent a severe breach of international peace and security. They undermine the stability of national institutions responsible for providing essential services and impede progress towards a just and peaceful society.
• Broader Socio-Economic Impacts (SDG 1 & SDG 8): The disruption to the energy supply has cascading effects on the economy, hindering industrial production and business operations (violating SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth). This, in turn, threatens livelihoods and exacerbates poverty (violating SDG 1: No Poverty), particularly for vulnerable populations.

Context of Escalating Attacks

This incident is part of a sustained campaign throughout the fall to cripple Ukraine’s energy sector. It follows severe strikes on October 3 and 5, which reportedly destroyed approximately 60% of Ukraine’s gas production facilities. This pattern highlights a strategic effort to dismantle the country’s energy infrastructure, further challenging its ability to meet basic needs and achieve its sustainable development objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – The article’s central theme is the destruction of energy infrastructure, specifically thermal power plants, which directly impacts the availability of electricity and heat.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – The attacks target and destroy critical national infrastructure (power plants), highlighting issues of infrastructure resilience and the need for reconstruction.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The power cuts resulting from the attacks affect major cities like Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv, compromising the safety, resilience, and basic services for urban populations.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The article describes acts of war, specifically the targeting of civilian infrastructure, which is a direct contradiction to the goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
  • Target 7.1: Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. The article highlights a severe regression from this target, stating that the attacks left the plants “generating no power” and caused “emergency power cuts in several regions,” directly denying access to reliable energy for the population.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The article demonstrates the vulnerability of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The statement that “All thermal power plants (TPP) operated by… Centrenergo are down” and that “the Zmiivska thermal power plant had beed completely destroyed” shows a direct failure to maintain resilient infrastructure in the face of conflict.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses… caused by disasters. The military strikes are a man-made disaster. The article implies a large number of people are affected through “emergency power cuts” in cities like Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv, and it details the direct economic loss through the destruction of the Trypillia, Zmiivska, and Vuhlehirska power plants.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article describes “the largest Russian attack,” involving “458 drones” and “45 cruise and ballistic missiles.” This is a clear example of the large-scale violence that this target aims to reduce.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 7.1:
  • Indicator (Implied): Proportion of population with access to electricity. The article’s mention of “emergency power cuts in several regions” and plants “generating no power” directly points to a decrease in this proportion.
• For Target 9.1:
  • Indicator (Implied): Damage to critical infrastructure. The article provides specific data points for this indicator by stating that “All thermal power plants (TPP) operated by… Centrenergo are down” and that the Zmiivska TPP was “completely destroyed.”
• For Target 11.5:
  • Indicator (Implied): Number of people affected by disasters. The reference to power cuts in major cities like “Kremenchuk… Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv” implies a large population is directly affected by the destruction of infrastructure.
  • Indicator (Implied): Direct economic loss attributed to disasters. The complete destruction and shutdown of three major thermal power plants (Trypillia, Zmiivska, Vuhlehirska) represents a quantifiable and substantial economic loss.
• For Target 16.1:
  • Indicator (Implied): Number of conflict-related attacks. The article provides precise figures that can be used as an indicator of the intensity of violence, such as “406 out of the 458 drones” and “45 cruise and ballistic missiles” used in a single attack overnight.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kyivindependent.com