Dnipro may be connected to other regions, but only temporarily — energy expert
8 January 13:51
OPINION
After another massive bombardment from Russia, Dnipro and part of the region were left without electricity, heat, and water supply. The strike hit energy infrastructure facilities, leading to large-scale power outages and the shutdown of critical life support systems in the city.
Energy workers immediately began emergency repair work. At the same time, a key question arose in society: is it possible to quickly reconnect the region to power sources from other regions, and how quickly can this be done? Stanislav Ignatiev, an energy expert at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, spoke about the current situation and possible recovery scenarios in an exclusive comment to "Komersant Ukrainian".
What exactly was damaged
According to the expert, the attack knocked out substations that supplied Dnipropetrovsk with electricity from nuclear power plants.
“Substations that were directly supplied by the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant or the Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant were damaged,” Ignatiev explained.
These key facilities are critical for the transmission of electricity to the region, so their damage caused a chain reaction — a lack of light, heat, and water in populated areas.
Are there alternatives for powering the region?
Ukraine’s energy system remains integrated, but the ability to maneuver quickly depends on the technical condition of the networks and the scale of the damage. According to the expert, the main focus now is not on a full reconnection, but on emergency power supply schemes.
“Repair crews are currently working to make emergency connections using emergency schemes,” said Stanislav Ignatiev.
Such schemes allow electricity to be temporarily supplied bypassing damaged nodes, although they do not provide complete stability and may be accompanied by restrictions for consumers.
When to expect power to be restored in Dnipro
According to the energy expert, the first results of the work may appear in the near future, but full restoration will take time.
“We can say that within the next few days, up to a week, the region will be healed using emergency schemes,” he said.
This means that power will be restored gradually, and stable operation of the networks will only be possible after the damaged substations have been fully repaired.
What this means for residents
Experts urge residents of Dnipro and the region to be prepared for temporary outages, to use electricity sparingly once it is restored, and to follow official announcements from energy companies and local authorities.
In wartime conditions, the power system continues to operate under the constant threat of attacks, and emergency power supply schemes remain one of the key tools for quickly restoring power after shelling.
