Ukraine energy mix & electricity

In 2022, Ukraine generated 112 TWh of electricity. That is similar to Bangladesh. More than half of it, 55.8%, came from nuclear power; coal was a distant second with 20.9%. 2022 is the most recent year with complete data for this country, so the picture may have changed since.

16.4% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 120th of 158 countries (in the bottom quarter). This puts it 17 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Europe (41.6%). Because nuclear contributes another 55.8%, the low-carbon share is considerably higher, at 72.2%. Generating one kWh emits about 250 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). The grid is comfortably cleaner than the world average. On carbon intensity, Ukraine ranks 52nd of 158 from the cleanest.

Since 2012, the fastest-growing source has been solar power: its output rose by 4.8 TWh, lifting its share by 4.4 percentage points. Measured by share of the mix, nuclear power gained most, up 10.4 percentage points. Coal moved the other way, falling by 57.1 TWh. Taken together, the renewable share rose by 10.8 percentage points over the decade. Total generation shrank by 87.4 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 442 to 250 g/kWh, a 43% cut.

Coal is in clear retreat: its share fell from 40.4% in 2012 to 20.9% in 2022, after peaking at 43.3% back in 1986. In absolute terms, coal generation peaked in 1987 at 119 TWh and has since fallen 80%.

Wind and solar together provided 5.8% of electricity (solar 4.6%, wind 1.3%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 124 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2019.

Ukraine generates 2,717 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 70% of the global average. Cross-border trade is roughly balanced.