Vodafone Ukraine to Add Solar at 400 More Base Stations After Pilot Success

Vodafone Ukraine is installing solar panels at 400 additional base stations, which will bring the operator’s total solar-equipped sites to 500 — a fivefold increase. The expansion follows a pilot program of 100 micro-solar installations completed in June 2026 across 14 regions, the results of which prompted the decision to scale up, according to business outlet Borg Expert.

Over the summer season, the pilot sites generated more than 110,000 kWh. Vodafone projects annual output for those stations at 380 MWh, enough to cover up to 30% of their energy needs. Chief Technology Officer Yevhenii Frunza said the first season confirmed the approach: at certain stations during peak generation hours, sites drew no electricity from the grid.

The company has not disclosed the exact cost, installed capacity or timeline for the second phase. Vodafone places compact solar arrays directly beside its towers. By contrast, rival Kyivstar recently acquired separate solar power plants totalling 105 MW in the Lviv region for 3.6 billion hryvnias.

For telecom networks, distributed solar generation complements backup power sources and helps sustain connectivity during outages. Over the past six months, Vodafone Ukraine has invested more than 3.5 billion hryvnias in its network, with roughly half of that amount directed at energy resilience. Solar panels alone, however, cannot keep a station running through a prolonged blackout — batteries or generators are still required.

Source: Борг.Експерт