The lights are on, but there is not enough light: why Ukraine’s energy sector is still in chaos
26 January 14:39
ANALYSIS FROM 
In recent months, social media has seen an increasing number of complaints from Ukrainians: amid power outages in apartments and houses, people are reporting that street lights, courtyard lights, and highway lights are burning day and night. This is particularly outrageous given that it is happening during a war and amid a power shortage.
In an exclusive comment to "Komersant Ukrainian", Oleg Popenko, head of the Union of Utility Consumers, draws attention to this problem.
According to him, the main reason is systemic disorder in energy management.
“The reason they (the lights, ed.) are on is that in four years of war, we have not brought order to the energy sector. Neither at the local municipal level nor at the state level,” the expert emphasizes.
Popenko explains that in Ukraine, there is formally a clear division of responsibility for each lighting facility.
“There is an area of responsibility for every light bulb, every street lamp, and every pole,” he says.
If there is no light in an apartment, the supplier or operator is responsible. If we are talking about the area around a building or roads, the responsible parties may be management companies, Misksvitlo, Avtodor, or other balance holders. The problem is that this mechanism does not actually work, Popenko emphasizes.
Cases where street lighting works even during the day are particularly outrageous.
The expert cites the example of the Poltava-Kyiv highway, where streetlights along the road in the Kyiv region are “burning at full power” and no one is responding.
“And this is despite the fact that we have a catastrophic situation with the provision of light for the population,” he emphasizes.
Officials often try to justify the situation by citing the energy efficiency of the lighting. However, Popenko asks a simple question: if this is really the case, where are the actual calculations and bills?
According to the head of the Union of Utility Consumers, the problem is much deeper. In some regions, electricity availability reaches 60%, while in others it is only 12%.
“There is a difference. And I don’t understand why nothing has been done,” the expert concludes.
As a result, Popenko calls the situation a failure at both the municipal and ministerial levels. The question of responsibility remains open: “Why is this happening and why is no one really working on it?” he asks. And this is a question that thousands of Ukrainians are asking today on social media.
