According to Oleksiy Brekht, acting CEO of Ukrenergo, Ukraine has good prospects for electricity supply for the coming winter, but it all depends on the weather. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi
with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.
According to the updated energy balance, there may be minor restrictions only in December and February.
With above-zero temperatures, the country is expected to go through the winter period without electricity restrictions or with minimal restrictions during peak consumption hours.
“If the temperature is either zero or positive, we will go through this period without restrictions. If we are talking about temperatures of minus 10-15 degrees Celsius, restrictions are possible. They should not exceed 1-1.5 thousand MW of capacity,”
– the official said at a meeting of the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada.
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Such restrictions are equivalent to one round of hourly outage schedules.
In the event of prolonged severe frosts (-10…-15°C for three or more days), a power shortage of up to 2-2.5 thousand MW is possible, which corresponds to two rounds of 8-hour outages. However, Ukrenergo is working to reduce this potential deficit.
According to Brecht, the following measures are currently being implemented and considered to improve the situation
- increasing electricity imports;
- the possibility of receiving emergency assistance from European countries;
- commissioning of new distributed generation facilities;
- restoration of thermal generation;
- preparing for the possible connection of a floating power plant.
The official also noted that Ukrenergo has already fully restored the power transmission infrastructure after the large-scale Russian attack on 26 August this year.
As reported , yesterday the government cancelled the ban on air conditioning and lighting in state institutions.
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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 criticised these plans.
Russia launched another massive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector on 26 August. This time, they attacked distribution and electricity supply systems, and also hit the Kyiv hydroelectric power station.
Some experts believe that the blackouts could last until spring. The National Security and Defence Council’s Disinformation Countermeasures Centre recently voiced a worst-case scenario that envisages blackouts of up to 20 hours a day.