“On July 17, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appointed Svetlana Grinchuk with a new Ministry of Energy. This personnel change took place as part of a large-scale renewal of the Cabinet, headed by the newly appointed Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko after Denis Shmigal’s previous government’s resignation. The appointment of Grinchuk to this position, which was previously occupied by Herman Galushchenko, is part of the broad governmental permutations aimed at increasing efficiency”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
On July 17, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appointed Svetlana Grinchuk with a new Ministry of Energy. This personnel change took place as part of a large-scale renewal of the Cabinet of Ministers, headed Denis Shmigal’s government . The appointment of Grinchuk to this position, which was previously occupied by Herman Galushchenko, is part of the broad government permutations, directed, as stated, to strengthen the efficiency of public administration in the conditions of current challenges.
The energy sector of Ukraine is undergoing difficult times today: more than 50% of energy capacity has been destroyed, damaged or occupied since the beginning of a full -scale invasion of Russia. Although the power system is currently balanced, the situation remains tense due to significant damage to generating capacity and transmission systems. Energy is the foundation of the economy, and its stability is crucial for the life of the country.
So who is Svetlana Grinchuk? UA.News was understood in the question.
From finances to government peaks
Svetlana Grinchuk was born on November 11, 1985 in Chernivtsi, received a financial and economic education. In 2008, she graduated from the Chernivtsi Trade and Economic Institute, having received a master’s degree in finance, and also received a degree in Candidate of Economic Sciences in the specialty “Money, Finance and Credit”.
Her career began in the academic sphere, where she taught finances at the Kyiv National Trade and Economic University since 2008, and in 2012 she became a researcher at the NAC Institute of Agrarian Economics. The transition to the civil service took place in 2015, when she started working as the chief specialist in the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
Grinchuk gained considerable experience at the Ministry of Environmental Protection. In 2016, she headed the climate change and the protection of the ozone layer, where she actively participated in the fulfillment of the Paris Climate Agreement and international obligations. In 2019, she became an adviser to the Prime Minister of Ukraine on environmental issues on a public basis, and in 2020 she held a similar position in the Ministry of Finance. In 2022, she was appointed Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, where she was responsible for the European integration of the department. The culmination of her career in the environmental department was the appointment of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources on September 5, 2024.
Before its current appointment, Grinchuk had already had experience in the Ministry of Energy. In September 2023, she held the post of Deputy Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko. In this position, she managed the Reforms Support Office at the Ministry of Energy, where she coordinated the development of energy development plans, the implementation of energy integration policy with the EU, decarbonization, development of renewable energy (RES) and corporate governance, as well as energy security.
Between bureaucracy and strategy
One of the main issues that often arises in public discussion on appointment to management positions in technically complex industries is the candidate’s education. Svetlana Grinchuk has a financial and economic education and is a candidate of economic sciences, but does not have profile engineering or technical education in the field of energy. This raises the question of its ability to effectively manage such a complex and important sector.
However, the analysis of the real powers and functions of the Minister of Energy shows that the role of the minister is not so often goes far beyond the purely technical examination. The main tasks of the Ministry of Energy are the formation and implementation of state policy in the energy complex. The powers of the Ministry also include the approval of the normative characteristics of technological costs of electricity and the development of plans for emergency situations.
Directly the Minister heads the Ministry of Energy, manages his activities, directs and coordinates the implementation of measures by other central executive bodies. He decides on the allocation of budgetary funds, signs orders and gives mandatory to execution. In addition, the Ministry of Energy is responsible for the European integration of the energy sector, decarbonization, development of RES and corporate governance.
In fact, the work of the Minister of Energy as a manager is often reduced to purely bureaucratic work and “translation of paper” and signing tenders. That is why you can formally appoint almost anyone. The main thing is that it is a bureaucrat that is able to work with “papers”. However, how correct this approach is a separate question.
A course on recovery and stability
Immediately after her appointment, Svetlana Grinchuk outlined the key tasks in a new position, emphasizing the fundamental role of energy for the country’s economy – providing industry and the population of electricity. Among its priorities was: preparation for the heating season, restoration of energy infrastructure on the principles of sustainability, “green” transition and decarbonization, creation of strategic reserve of equipment, development of a new, decentralized power system, its integration with EU, development of human capital, and qualitative personnel.
The paper sounds good. However, it should not be forgotten that the current state of Ukraine’s energy sector is extremely difficult. Since the beginning of a full -scale invasion of Russia, more than 50% of capacity has been destroyed, damaged and occupied. Although the operating modes of the power system are generally balanced, and there is no electricity deficit as a whole, the situation remains extremely tense.
Among the key challenges facing the new minister are: attracting investments for the reconstruction and development of the energy sector, the development of distributed generation to meet their own needs of business and communities, and a potential increase in electricity tariffs, which is a socially sensitive issue. How Grinchuk can handle this – a question that will become clear in the near future.
Shadows of the past in a new chair
Svetlana Grinchuk’s cadence as an environment of the environment was accompanied by numerous accusations of eco -activists and scandals that I can Throwing a shadow on its new purpose. Activists accused her of failure of many key areas of work of the Ministry of Environmental. In particular, the ministry failed to launch an automated environmental monitoring system, which complicates the recovery of reparations from Russia for environmental losses. The reform of the waste management system has also remained on paper, and the by -laws are still in development. A similar situation was observed with the reform of environmental control.
Activists also criticized Grinchuk’s personnel policy, calling it opaque and fuzzy. An example of indignation, in particular, was the appointment of the head of the Department of especially protected natural areas of man without profile education and appropriate experience. The Ministry also ignored a number of resonant environmental problems under its leadership, including illegal deforestation in Transcarpathia, the threat of river pollution, as well as problems with national parks where illegal felling continued.
These accusations create a negative background for a new purpose. The issues of transparency, personnel policy and efficiency of reforms that have been raised in the environmental sector can also be transferred to energy. The previous experience of Svetlana Grinchuk in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, especially accusations of inhibition of environmental initiatives and opacity, can be of concern about its ability to effectively introduce a “green” transition and decarbonization in energy. If its previous actions have been dictated by certain interests, it can create obstacles to fair tenders and transparent distribution of resources in the energy sector.
Prospects and expectations from the new minister
The appointment of Svetlana Grinchuk by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine is a multifaceted event. On the one hand, the strengths of Grinchuk are obvious: above all this is a fairly rich experience of government work. On the other hand, her cadence was accompanied by numerous issues as a minister of environmental protection.
Energy Sergey, who works at one of the nuclear power plants of Ukraine, expresses his skepticism on new destination. He believes that in his industry, with the arrival of the new Minister, nothing fundamentally will change.
“I do not know who this is, I did not follow the appointment of a new Cabinet. When you turned to me, I read about this person. I have no sensations from this purpose. This is a person who does not even have profile education. What does she understand in energy? She understands the challenges facing the industry? I’m not sure. As for me, it’s just rearranging beds in a well -known place. That she is that her predecessor is not waiting for anyone to improve for the industry, ” Said our interlocutor.
Svetlana Grinchuk’s success in the new position will depend on her ability to transform her management and financial and ecological experience into effective solutions for the energy sector. It has the potential for successful coordination of international cooperation and attracting investments, which is vital for restoring the destroyed infrastructure. However, she will have to overcome the shadow of past scandals, demonstrating transparency, openness to dialogue with all interested parties and determination in the implementation of the stated priorities.