DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids opened an artifacts exhibition #LightOvercomesDarkness in Irpin, dedicated to the second anniversary of electricity restoration in the Kyiv region after de-occupation
In April-May 2022, DTEK Grids energy workers from Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk regions and the city of Kyiv united their efforts to restore electricity in the Kyiv region after de-occupation. This became the largest repair of grids in the history of modern Ukraine. The artifacts exhibition #LightOvercomesDarkness reminds about the crimes committed by rf and tells about heroic work of electricians in the spring of 2022.
“The full-scale invasion brought terrible destructions to our region. It was here, in the Kyiv region, two years ago, that DTEK Grids energy workers united into one large team for the first time to restore what was destroyed by the enemy. Today, we opened an artifacts exhibition – a reminder about the harm made by the occupants to the power facilities of the Kyiv region, – noted Vitalii Shaida, CEO at DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids. – The enemy continues to destroy Ukrainian energy industry. Our task is to do everything possible to provide residents and critical infrastructure with electricity despite enemy attacks. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, energy workers have restored power supply to more than 1.5 mln households in the Kyiv region*. Over the course of two year, the company invested nearly 1 billion hryvnas. Thus, we continue to protect the energy security of Ukraine and plan to not only repair the destroyed grids, but also build a Smart Grid — grids of the future.”
The heroic work of energy workers was inscribed in the memory through symbolic items. Each item has its own story. The main focus is on the events that happened after the full-scale rf invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
When opening the exhibition, first deputy head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Mykola Boiko noted: “It has been two years and looking back to that time I clearly remember the moment when we entered the de-occupied territories. There really was a lot damaged. Since the first days of de-occupation, DTEK specialists were able to restore power to 600 settlements, one third of our region, in 45 days. I am infinitely grateful for completing such a large-scale work in short terms.”
One of the halls in the rebuilt Irpin museum of regional ethnography and history, where proofs of russian army’s crimes are presented, displays symbolic artifacts of the destroyed power facilities. Original exhibits from the site of events are collected here: fragments of mutilated wires and insulators, etc. Photos from the site of events add to the picture.
The mayor of Irpin Oleksandr Markushyn noted in his turn: “Today, of course, I want to thank DTEK employees, who have really done the impossible. Over a short period of time, one and a half months, they restored electricity to every home of ours. Energy workers are really a front, and you are heroes just the same.”
Such exhibitions not only reenact history and memory about the past, but also provide an opportunity for the community to realize the value of the energy security and support of the energy workers, who work at the frontline of protecting the infrastructure and comfort of residents of the region. This exhibition becomes an important step in celebrating the feat and esteem of the people working in the energy industry and in reminding about the need to ensure energy stability for future generations.
Everyone is welcome to visit the exhibition #LightOvercomesDarkness during the museum’s working hours: Tues.-Fr.: 09.-17.00, Sat. 10.00-16.00.
* considering that some customers had electricity restored to them on 2 or more occasions.