Kyiv residents get electricity for only 1.5-2 hours per day, difficult days ahead

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO - 7 February, 19:34

Power outages in Kyiv. Stock photo: Getty Images

People in Kyiv are currently receiving electricity for only 1.5 to 2 hours a day due to the difficult situation in the energy system following Russian strikes.

Source: DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company; Ukraine's Ministry of Energy

Quote from DTEK: "The Russians attacked the energy system on the night of 6-7 February. Two DTEK thermal power plants and key high-voltage substations have been damaged. Nuclear power plants have been forced to reduce their load due to damage to the high-voltage substations. Ukraine has lost a significant share of its available electricity.

The system is operating under maximum restrictions. Usual rolling outages are not in effect.

The situation is most severe in Kyiv, where prolonged strikes on infrastructure have reduced electricity availability to just 1.5 to 2 hours per day. Challenging days lie ahead."

Details: DTEK emphasised that its engineers, together with teams from Ukraine's state-owned electricity transmission operator Ukrenergo and Kyivteploenergo, Kyiv's main heat and power provider, are working around the clock to restore electricity as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Ministry of Energy reported on the outcome of a meeting of the Emergency Response Headquarters dealing with the aftermath of the emergency in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast.

Quote from the Ministry of Energy: "The electricity supply situation remains extremely difficult. The loss of generation capacity due to the nighttime attack has created a significant power deficit that is extremely hard to cover, so the coming days will be challenging.

At present, residents of the capital receive electricity for only a short period, 1.5 to 2 hours. Power engineers are doing everything possible to balance the system, while the city is deploying additional invincibility centres in every district to support people." [Invincibility centres are heated premises stocked with food and power banks to assist residents facing hardships due to power cuts – ed.]

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