Why is Ukraine using high-capacity batteries?

With Russia regularly knocking out Ukraine’s power grid, the country has turned to high-capacity batteries to keep it connected to the world—and itself. The streets of Kyiv during a blackout last year. Photograph: Mykhaylo Palinchak/Getty Images

How many high-capacity lithium-ion batteries are there in Ukraine?

High-capacity lithium-ion batteries mean the base stations, Shchyhol said, “should have reserve power sources for at least three days.” And they can recharge themselves when the power comes back online. Two of the biggest telecommunications firms in Ukraine have, between them, already sourced and installed 22,000 new high-capacity batteries.

Can Ukrainian telecommunications companies recharge themselves if power comes back online?

And they can recharge themselves when the power comes back online. Two of the biggest telecommunications firms in Ukraine have, between them, already sourced and installed 22,000 new high-capacity batteries. Shchyhol said his ministry has identified another 8,000 base stations that need to become “energy independent.”

What happened to Ukraine's power grid?

But Ukraine hasn’t just experienced a few short outages. Since October, it has faced an onslaught of attacks against its power grid, causing long periods of darkness. Ukraine responded by outfitting around 5,000 base stations with better generators.

Is Russia about to source more batteries?

With demand for those batteries only increasing as Russia mounts a more serious offensive to break a stalemate in eastern Ukraine, there is a scramble to source more. And not every cell company is about to source tens of thousands of those batteries on their own.

Should Kyiv have better batteries?

So Kyiv has turned to a simple solution: better batteries. High-capacity lithium-ion batteries mean the base stations, Shchyhol said, “should have reserve power sources for at least three days.” And they can recharge themselves when the power comes back online.