Contradictions in electric power sector development: Ukraine versus EU

Abstract

Abstract Ukraine strives to be a full member of the EU and competitive in its market space, including energy markets. However, the UA electric power sector lags behind the EU common one. To prove this input-output model of electricity flows was constructed, Sankey diagrams were built, and qualitative indicators were determined. Based on the Eurostat dataset we found contradictions in Ukrainian electric power sector development against the European common one from 1991 to 2020. Mainstream trends in EU electric power sector development are decarbonization, development of highly efficient cogeneration, increasing energy efficiency at all stages, decentralization, increasing energy dependency, and all-round electricity penetration. At the same time, key tendencies in the UA electric power sector development were: gas-coal switching, reducing quality and quantity of cogeneration, stable too-low energy efficiency, centralization, isolation and self-sufficiency, and deindustrialization. Comprehending these contradictions determines the way for achieving sustainability in the UA electric power sector after the war.