As part of International Women's Day hear Svitlana's story and her experiences working in the hydropower sector:

For Svitlana Stepanenko, hydropower is woven into her family DNA. As the daughter of the former head of civil defence at the Kremenchuk HPP, she grew up surrounded by stories of complex mechanisms and the harnessed power of water. "I was literally obsessed with the station. Working with those massive machines was my ultimate dream," she recalls.

Her journey began in 1982 in an administrative role as a timekeeper. However, a deep-seated drive to understand the technical side of the operations led her toward self-education; she spent her evenings studying electrical engineering textbooks selected by her father. This persistence paid off - in 1994, she completed specialised training and transitioned to a technical career.  

Today, Svitlana serves as a battery technician in the electrical shop. Her daily responsibilities—diagnosing, maintaining, and replacing battery systems - form a quiet yet critical link that ensures the hydroelectric power plant's autonomy and reliability.

Currently, working in the Ukrainian energy sector demands not only expertise but also a particular brand of resilience and fortitude. Despite the risks and the aftermath of attacks on critical infrastructure, Svitlana remains at her post, viewing it as her personal responsibility on the home front, alongside her volunteering efforts. Now, she is focused on passing down her 44 years of experience and professional "secrets" to younger colleagues. For her, this is more than just a work shift; it is a way to preserve the generational continuity that has sustained the station for decades.