Telecommunications operator Vodafone Ukraine has completed the first stage of its project to deploy its own solar generation, equipping the first 100 base stations in 14 regions with solar power plants. This will allow them to cover about 30% of their energy consumption from renewable sources and significantly increase communication autonomy during power outages.
Telecommunications operator Vodafone Ukraine has completed the first stage of its project to deploy its own solar generation, equipping the first 100 base stations in 14 regions with solar power plants. This will allow them to cover about 30% of their energy consumption from renewable sources and significantly increase communication autonomy during power outages.
The completion of the first wave of mobile network modernization was reported by the press service of Vodafone Ukraine. It is noted that the company has already begun preparations for the second stage of the project.
This initiative is part of the operator’s strategy to combat power outages. From October 2025 to January 2026, Russia carried out 19 massive attacks on the Ukrainian power grid, which led to a capacity deficit of 5–6 GW during peak hours and prolonged power outages. With the deficit forecast for 2026–2027, the transition to autonomous power sources is critical to maintaining stable coverage.
At modernized sites, solar energy powers the equipment during the day, and the surplus is stored in modern lithium-ion batteries. This allows the base stations to operate completely autonomously in sunny weather or to maintain a signal for much longer during system failures in the general power grid.
The total installed capacity of the first hundred facilities is 360 kW (an average of 3.6 kW per site). It is expected that thanks to solar generation, the company will save about 380 MWh of electricity per year. In monetary terms, taking into account the dynamics of tariffs, the savings will exceed 100,000 euros annually. The project will also reduce CO₂ emissions by 210 tons per year, which is equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of ten thousand adult trees.
«We announced the start of the project in the fall of 2025 — and now, despite logistical difficulties and regular shelling of energy infrastructure, an extremely difficult winter and critical weather conditions, we have completed the first wave. But for us, the main thing is not reports, but people: communication must remain even when there is no power. The first wave is the foundation. We will start the next stages immediately,» said Yevgeny Frunza, Technical Director of Vodafone Ukraine.
