The Death of Alexey Brecht
Alexey Brecht, a board member and former head of Ukraine's national power company Ukrenergo, was killed on January 21, 2023, while working to restore an energy facility damaged by a hostile attack. He was 47 years old and had dedicated over 24 years of his career to Ukrenergo, where he established himself as a highly skilled specialist. His death underscores the extreme dangers faced by Ukrainian energy workers who are targeted while keeping the country's lights on.
Achievements and Recognition
Brecht led efforts to restore the power grid following repeated enemy attacks during the war. Under his direction, repair crews learned to replace major transformers four to six times faster than operators in European energy systems. He routinely worked on equipment carrying 750,000 volts, demonstrating exceptional skill and professionalism under the most challenging conditions.
- Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, former Chairman of the Board of Ukrenergo, described Alexey Brecht as 'the brain of Ukrenergo, the essence of that engineering creativity.'
- Andriy Kobolyev noted that Brecht was a person who could make the impossible possible.
- Serhiy Koretskyi emphasized the top-tier expertise and professionalism that Alexey Brecht possessed.
During his tenure at Ukrenergo, the company won two prestigious Edison Awards from the American institute, a testament to its high level of achievement in the energy sector. The loss of Alexey Brecht is a severe blow to the Ukrenergo team and to Ukraine's entire energy sphere. His innovative approach and dedication set a standard for his colleagues and significantly enhanced the company's operational effectiveness, leaving a legacy that will be deeply missed across the industry.