Why is Ukraine using high-capacity batteries?

With Russia regularly knocking out Ukraine’s power grid, the country has turned to high-capacity batteries to keep it connected to the world—and itself. The streets of Kyiv during a blackout last year. Photograph: Mykhaylo Palinchak/Getty Images

How many high-capacity lithium-ion batteries are there in Ukraine?

High-capacity lithium-ion batteries mean the base stations, Shchyhol said, “should have reserve power sources for at least three days.” And they can recharge themselves when the power comes back online. Two of the biggest telecommunications firms in Ukraine have, between them, already sourced and installed 22,000 new high-capacity batteries.

Is Russia about to source more batteries?

With demand for those batteries only increasing as Russia mounts a more serious offensive to break a stalemate in eastern Ukraine, there is a scramble to source more. And not every cell company is about to source tens of thousands of those batteries on their own.

Did Canada pay for Equalitie's first shipment of batteries to Ukraine?

Updated 10:25 am, February 24, 2023: eQualitie's first shipment of batteries to Ukraine was paid for by Canada's government, not crowdfunding. The security firm is crowdfunding its second shipment. You Might Also Like

Will Equalitie get Ukraine's mobile networks back to 100 percent?

eQualitie is still raising money to purchase a new shipment of batteries to Ukraine. Shchyhol, meanwhile, is bullish that he could get Ukraine’s mobile networks back to 100 percent. But, like many aspects of this war, Ukraine continues preparing for the worst.

What happens if power goes out in Kyiv?

That capacity has now dropped below 20GW. In Kyiv, traffic lights go off when the power is out, and crossings are navigated ad hoc, with pedestrians holding their phone lights up at night so that drivers can see them. Restaurants have developed “blackout menus”, showing which dishes they can cook when the power is out.