Russia strikes again at energy facilities: 538 settlements without electricity
9 September 2024 12:01
Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In particular, over the past 24 hours, the enemy struck at energy facilities in seven regions, according to "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
Thus, facilities in Dnipropetrovs’k, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson and Chernihiv regions were subjected to missile, drone or artillery strikes. The shelling caused power outages at substations and consumers in several regions, the ministry said.
As of the morning of 9 September, 538 settlements on the government-controlled territory of Ukraine remain without electricity due to hostilities and technical problems. However, power engineers are working around the clock to restore the damaged infrastructure – over the past day, they have managed to restore power to more than 17,000 consumers.
The Ministry of Energy emphasises that the situation in the power system remains stable, but complicated due to significant damage from massive attacks, including one of the largest on 26 August. Ukrainians are urged to continue to conserve electricity, especially during evening peak hours.
No power cuts are planned for today.
There will be no electricity exports today either, while imports from Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Moldova are expected to reach a maximum capacity of 1,287 MW at certain times.
As reported some experts believe that the blackouts may last until spring. And the Centre for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine recently voiced the worst-case scenario, which envisages blackouts of up to 20 hours a day.
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Situation in the Ukrainian energy sector
on 29 March 2024, Russia resumed its attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector, carrying out the most massive shelling in the entire period of the full-scale war. In particular, DniproHES and other Ukrainian energy facilities were hit. Since then, Russia has been regularly shelling Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
For example, the Russians destroyed the Trypillia and Zmiiv thermal power plants, causing Centrenergo to lose 100% of its generation. Also, 5 of DTEK’s 6 thermal power plants were severely damaged.
After that, power outages started again in Ukraine, Ukrenergo introduced blackout schedules and the government raised electricity tariffs by 60% at once.
At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to build two new units at the Khmelnytsky NPP and has already received the approval of the relevant parliamentary committee. The Razumkov Centre has criticised these plans, but some experts believe that only traitors or scoundrels are against the construction of nuclear power plants today.
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