Another blackout could leave Ukraine unable to restore power, expert says

14 August 21:15

YOUTUBE

The risk of another nationwide controlled power outage this winter is significantly higher than ever before, and, unlike in 2022, it may prove impossible to restore power to consumers after such a blackout. Yuriy Korolchuk, co-founder of the Institute for Energy Strategies, made this statement in an interview with the "Komersant Ukrainian" YouTube channel.

The expert noted that the only instance of a controlled blackout in Ukraine occurred on November 23, 2022, when Ukrenergo voluntarily shut down the power grid in order to subsequently restore power.

“November 23, 2022, was the only time Ukraine entered a blackout mode. It was a controlled blackout: Ukrenergo independently shut down the grid and then reconnected consumers to the power supply. Back then, the tests went smoothly—everything worked perfectly,” Korolchuk said.

According to the expert, the situation today is radically different, as a significant portion of the reserve capacity that previously saved the power grid has already been damaged as a result of systematic Russian attacks.

“If we enter a controlled blackout today, I fear we won’t be able to return to normal. What would we connect to? At what cost? This is a huge risk,” Korolchuk warned.

The expert added that the key problem for the power grid remains not the power plants themselves, but the high-voltage substations, which have suffered the most damage and are being repaired the slowest.

“Ukrenergo’s substations will be the weakest link. Even if there’s a way to generate electricity, you won’t be able to deliver it to consumers. And consumers will face shortages,” Korolchuk concluded.