ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE OF SMALL HYDROPOWER AS A COMPONENT OF VDE IN UKRAINE

Abstract

Work analyzes the economic perspective of small hydropower as a component of renewable energy sources in Ukraine. The main advantages of the use of "green" electricity, namely electricity generated by small hydroelectric power stations, have been determined, as well as the disadvantages of small and mini hydroelectric power plants. It is emphasized that on the territory of Ukraine there are more than 63,029 thousand small rivers with a total length of 185.8 thousand km, most of which belong to the Vistula, Danube, Dniester, Southern Bug and Dnipro basins. It was noted that as a result of the Ukrainian-Russian war, a significant number of enterprises from the east, south and north of the country moved to the western regions of Ukraine. All this seriously affected the energy balance of the western regions of the country. Because in addition to the hundreds of relocation companies mentioned above, hundreds of thousands of refugees have moved to these regions, and this is also a big burden on the electric power system. Therefore, the construction and modernization of small hydroelectric power stations in Western Ukraine, in the current conditions, is becoming particularly relevant. Proposed steps to be taken by the Ukrainian government in order for this branch of electricity to develop effectively. Regarding the financing of this program, it should be emphasized that on May 19, 2022, the European Commission approved the strategic plan "Recovery of Ukraine". It outlines the key reforms and investments needed to build a prosperous and sustainable future for the country. Promotion of the country's "green" transition is also named among the main areas of reconstruction. On the basis of the researched data, it was concluded that the companies that generate "green" electricity experience serious difficulties because they are not paid for the products supplied, the reason for this is that the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine has created such a regulatory and legal framework that directly leads to their collapse, and this can lead to the liquidation of the entire industry. It has been proven that Russia's war against Ukraine, which escalated on February 24 of this year, made significant changes in the implementation of the plan and caused huge losses to RES generating capacities. The well-founded thesis that the further development of renewable energy sources is an extremely important factor in increasing the energy efficiency of the Ukrainian economy, the basis of its energy independence, which creates conditions for the political independence of the state.