Ukrenergo warns of evening power outages
17 May 2024 13:16
Ukraine has been experiencing a significant electricity shortage over the past 24 hours. On Friday, the blackout schedules were in effect until 08 am and will be reintroduced in the evening – from 19:00 and will be in effect until the end of the day. This was reported by Ukrenergo, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Hourly outage schedules for household and industrial consumers will be in effect throughout Ukraine from 19:00 to 24:00.
The company stressed that it warns of possible consumption restrictions, and information on when the outages will be applied in a particular region can be found in the consumer’s account, on the official websites of regional power companies, as well as on their social media pages.
On the night of 17 May, in Vinnytsia region, the wreckage of an enemy UAV partially damaged the equipment of a local power company. More than 23,000 consumers lost power. As of the morning, 202 consumers are still without power.
Also on 16 May, a high-voltage overhead line of Ukrenergo was disconnected in the eastern region by a protective action. Residential and industrial consumers in Kharkiv region were cut off from electricity. After 8 minutes, the line was brought back online by automatic control, and the power supply was restored. In the morning, 427 settlements were without power.
In addition, there are new blackouts in Dnipropetrovska, Donetska, Sumska, and Kharkivska oblasts due to the hostilities.
Ukrenergo added that on 16 May, emergency electricity supply to Ukraine was activated from 00:00 to 01:00 and from 15:00 to 16:00 from the power systems of Romania, Poland and Slovakia. In addition, from 11:00 to 17:00, at the request of the Polish power system operator, the Ukrainian power system received surplus electricity.
Where to find out about blackout schedules
You can get information on how electricity consumption restrictions will be applied in your region in your consumer account, on the official websites of regional power distribution companies, as well as on their social media pages.
The reason for the restrictions
Russian troops have repeatedly attacked energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine this spring. In particular, at night and in the morning of 8 May, according to the Ministry of Energy, Russian forces attacked electricity generation and transmission facilities in six regions – Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia. Due to the power shortage, Ukrenergo then imposed restrictions on power supply for industry and business, but also warned that blackouts for household consumers were possible.
The reason for the restrictions is an increase in electricity consumption during the cold snap. The capacity of Ukrainian power plants is insufficient due to the effects of five missile and drone attacks carried out by Russia on the Ukrainian power system since 22 March.
Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said during a national telethon that Ukraine has lost a large amount of capacity at its power plants and is now short of it. That is why it has been necessary to cut off electricity for industry for some time now. That is why a large number of household consumers could not notice the blackout. But the power shortage in the system has been felt for a long time.
He explained that there are several ways to compensate for the electricity shortage.
“This is commercial imports made by companies from Europe. When this is not enough, Ukrenergo can use emergency assistance from neighbouring countries, and when this is not enough, we can limit the consumption of industrial consumers. But when this is not enough, we are forced to involve not only industry but also the population in limiting consumption to balance the situation,”
– said the CEO of Ukrenergo.
It is also known that Ukraine will enter the autumn-winter period of 2024-2025 with a deficit of electricity generation capacity. Its volume will be determined by the ability to protect the power system from shelling, and thus from the supply of military aid from partners.
Will there be power cuts in summer?
Power cuts for the population are possible during the summer peak months of electricity consumption, when air conditioners start working – in apartments, offices and shops.
“The deficit has not disappeared, imports have physical limitations, and the demand for a commodity called electricity is growing significantly due to low temperatures. Today it’s low, and in summer it’s the opposite – because of the heat load,”
– explained Sergiy Kovalenko, CEO of YASNO.
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