Deep within the destroyed core, nuclear material continues to generate heat and radiation beneath the protective shell of the sarcophagus. Between 26 April 1986 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, an estimated 300 billion US dollars was spent to contain the disaster. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and forcibly resettled, not only in northern Ukraine but also in Belarus.
War reshapes the role of infrastructure
Chernobyl remains a heavy burden for Ukraine. Thousands died from radiation exposure and cancer, and the consequences continue to be felt. The number of birth defects has also increased.
The containment structure built by the European Union between 2010 and 2016 at a cost of around two billion euros has not resolved these risks. On 14 February 2024, a Russian drone struck the structure. Although the fire was extinguished quickly, the damage remains.
Russia’s war against Ukraine is also a conflict over energy resources, including gas, oil and uranium. The invasion has brought Chernobyl back into focus in a new way. Nuclear facilities have been used as leverage. Russian forces withdrew from Chernobyl, but at Zaporizhzhia they remain in place, controlling the plant and parts of its workforce.
Greenpeace reports on damaged reactor confinement
Nuclear power under attack
Energy infrastructure has become a central target. Power grids, substations, gas pipelines and heating plants have all been affected. This has exposed the vulnerability of a system based on large, centralised assets. “Ukraine’s energy supply has collapsed,” says Marina Abramian of Greenpeace in Kyiv. “After each attack, our technicians try to restore supply.”
Restoring power can take a week or longer. Much of the system is unavailable. A significant share of nuclear capacity is offline, including Zaporizhzhia, the largest plant in the country. More than half of hydropower capacity has been damaged, as have large parts of the high-voltage grid.
Rethinking under pressure
The war is prompting a shift in how energy supply is approached. Where uranium, diesel and gas were previously standard, solar systems are now being deployed more widely. “We have begun equipping heating shelters and hospitals with solar power and batteries,” says Polina Kolodiazhna of Greenpeace. “These systems allow us to operate without diesel.”
The winter has passed, but the situation remains difficult. Attacks continue, and large parts of the energy system are still impaired.
Biohaus Foundation continues solar deliveries to Ukraine
Hope rises with the sun
Solar installations are beginning to show their value in practice. “More and more hospitals are recognising that solar power combined with storage allows them to operate independently while also reducing energy costs,” says Kolodiazhna. “This is important for the energy transition in our country.”
At a hospital in Chortkiv in western Ukraine, 50 kW of solar modules have been installed on the roof. The system supplies around 30,000 kWh per year to the maternity ward and neonatal care, with a further 17,000 kWh for the infectious diseases department.
Around 70 percent of the hospital’s electricity demand is now covered by solar power. “The hospital saves around 470,000 hryvnia per year,” says Abramian. At current exchange rates, 1,000 hryvnia corresponds to around €20. Larger hospitals can save up to one million hryvnia per year.
Biohaus Foundation: The Solar for Ukraine initiative continues
Stations of invincibility
Over the past year, Greenpeace and the Biohaus Foundation in Paderborn have expanded their support programmes. With support from donations, solar systems have been installed on numerous hospitals. Battery storage allows operations and patient care to continue independently of the grid.
“We call these systems ‘stations of invincibility’,” says Kolodiazhna. “People are beginning to understand their value in daily life.” At the same time, logistical support has increased, with several shipments of equipment sent from Germany to Ukraine since the beginning of the year.
€150,000 appeal to bring solar power to more Ukrainian hospitals
Aid shipments underway
More than 100 hospitals are currently awaiting similar systems. Local authorities and operators contribute to financing, but demand remains high. Installation is carried out by trained local teams. Since 2025, Greenpeace has been specifically training Ukrainian women to take on the role of solar installers.
“In 2026, we aim to equip at least twelve hospitals,” says Willi Ernst of the Biohaus Foundation. “With additional funding, we could do more.” Around €150,000 is required, with approximately €20,000 secured so far. Each transport shipment costs between €5,000 and €6,000 in addition to equipment.
The Biohaus Foundation is a recognised non-profit organisation and issues tax-deductible receipts. Funding is used for equipment and transport.
These installations do not replace central infrastructure, but they help keep essential services running under difficult conditions. Support is used directly on site and enables further systems to be installed, helping sustain care and save lives.
Next Ukraine aid shipment underway – further donations urgently needed
Donation account in Germany:
GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG
IBAN: DE16 4306 0967 4092 8583 00
BIC: GENO DE M 1 GLS
Keyword: Solar4Ukraine
For more information or to support the project in other ways, contact Willi Ernst at willi.ernst@biohaus-stiftung.org.
About the author: Heiko Schwarzburger is editor-in-chief of the German business magazine photovoltaik and the English-language PV Europe.
