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Ukraine’s Kyivstar Boosts Backup Power as Russian Strikes Threaten Energy Grid

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Ukraine’s largest mobile operator Kyivstar is stepping up efforts to keep its telecommunications network running as renewed Russian attacks on energy infrastructure put mounting strain on the country’s fragile power grid, CEO Oleksandr Komarov told Reuters on Monday.

“Right now, we have more than 3,500 stationary generators connected to the network in real time,” Komarov said. “But the pressure on the energy infrastructure is also growing… The only answer we have is to increase the number of generators connected to the network.”

Russia’s latest barrage of drones and missiles on Saturday targeted nuclear substations and other critical energy sites, killing seven people. State-owned energy firm Tsentrenergo described it as the largest attack on its facilities since the war began in 2022.

Since the start of the invasion, Kyivstar has worked to harden its network against power outages. Core systems now have backup power for up to three days, while more than 90,000 connection boxes in apartment buildings are equipped with solutions that allow them to function for 10–12 hours during blackouts.

The upgrades are part of Kyivstar’s broader resilience plan to ensure continuity of service across Ukraine despite recurring infrastructure damage.

Meanwhile, Kyivstar — which became the first Ukrainian company listed on a U.S. stock exchange in August — continues to navigate geopolitical and market volatility.

Komarov said U.S. institutional investors see the company as “significantly undervalued” given the wartime context, while Veon, Kyivstar’s parent company, is working with Ukrainian authorities to enable local investors to buy shares.

Earlier Monday, Kyivstar reported a 20% increase in third-quarter revenue to $297 million, supported by steady macroeconomic conditions and international support that have helped stabilize Ukraine’s currency.

America’s Largest Power Grid Struggles to Meet Surging AI and Data Center Demand

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America’s largest power grid, managed by PJM Interconnection and covering 13 states from Illinois to Tennessee, is facing significant strain as data centers and AI chatbots rapidly increase electricity consumption—outpacing the grid’s ability to build new power plants. This has led to sharp electricity price increases, with bills projected to rise over 20% this summer in some areas.

The rising costs stem from an 800% jump in prices at PJM’s annual capacity auction last year, which sets rates to ensure electricity availability during extreme weather. These price hikes trickle down to consumers and have sparked political and organizational upheaval: Pennsylvania’s governor has threatened to pull the state from PJM, the grid’s CEO announced he will step down, and key board members have been replaced.

The auction is scheduled again soon, with expectations of further price rises, driven by a growing mismatch between supply and demand. Aging power plants are retiring faster than new ones come online, and PJM has delayed auctions and paused accepting applications for new power plants—actions that experts say exacerbate the shortage.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the need for transparency, speed, and cost control from PJM. The grid operator attributes the supply crunch partly to external factors, such as state policies that closed fossil fuel plants prematurely and soaring demand from data centers, especially in “Data Center Alley” in Northern Virginia.

Although PJM has cleared about 46 gigawatts of new power projects in recent years—enough for 40 million homes—many face delays due to local opposition, supply chain issues, and financing problems. PJM lost more than 5.6 gigawatts of power capacity in the last decade and added only about 5 gigawatts in 2024, less than smaller grids in California and Texas.

Demand from data centers alone is expected to increase by 32 gigawatts by 2030, with AI-related workloads significantly contributing to the surge.

The power crunch intensified after PJM paused processing new power plant applications in 2022, overwhelmed by renewable project requests, and after AI chatbots like ChatGPT gained popularity in 2023, boosting data center energy use. Consumer groups have called for a redo of the 2024 capacity auction, citing unfairly high prices.

In response, PJM implemented reforms including price caps and biannual auctions, and expedited the connection of 51 power projects, but many will not be operational until 2030 or later. For example, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant restart, contracted by Microsoft, won’t come online before 2027.

Experts warn that PJM must improve its processing of new power plant applications to effectively address the supply-demand imbalance and prevent blackouts.

Italy’s Data Centre Investments Set to Surge to €10 Billion by 2025-26

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Italy’s data centre investments are projected to reach €10 billion ($10.3 billion) in the 2025-2026 period, marking a substantial increase from the previous two years. This growth is driven by major technology firms eager to expand their cloud infrastructure to meet rising demand, particularly fueled by artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report from Milan Polytechnic University’s research hub, these investments will play a crucial role in boosting Italy’s technological capabilities.

However, the country faces challenges in accommodating this surge in investment. The report highlights potential bottlenecks in the power grid and the high cost of energy, which could impede the expansion of data centres. As large cloud developers, such as Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS), ramp up their spending plans, access to affordable and reliable energy is becoming increasingly critical.

For context, Microsoft announced a €4.3 billion investment in Italy’s cloud network last year, while AWS committed to a €1.2 billion investment over five years. Despite these positive developments, concerns persist about the sustainability of the Italian electricity grid and its ability to support the growing demand for energy-intensive data centres. Marina Natalucci, director of the research hub, emphasized the need to address these energy supply challenges as Italy attracts more investments from global tech giants.