Winter power outages in Ukraine could last up to 12 hours daily

This winter, power outages in Ukraine could last up to 12 hours a day, according to Serhij Kovalenko, the CEO of the largest energy company, Yasno. In an interview with the portal Delo.ua, Kovalenko estimated that the energy deficit could reach up to 35 percent. He warned that the situation could worsen if damaged facilities are not restored following Russian attacks.

Kovalenko emphasized that these are preliminary forecasts and that complete plans for the winter period should be prepared by the end of August. He explained that developing these plans will involve energy consumption, production, and import estimates.

The increase in electricity production is expected to result from the repair of specific units at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, which, according to announcements, are scheduled to start operating in the fall. Repair work is also ongoing at hydroelectric and thermal power plants.

However, Kovalenko pointed out that ongoing Russian shelling of energy facilities could jeopardize these plans.

According to Kovalenko, the situation could worsen if damaged facilities are not restored after Russian military attacks and if there is no agreement on imports. Much also depends on whether the winter will be mild.

Several power plants in Ukraine have been destroyed as a result of Russian attacks, including the Zmiyivska near Kharkiv and Trypillia in the Kyiv region. Recently, the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration announced that the power plant in the town of Burshtyn is also unsuitable for reconstruction after the Russian shelling.

Russians have also attacked distribution networks in Ukraine. These losses have significantly impacted residents, forcing the energy sector to impose enormous consumer restrictions. According to the operator Ukrenerho, power outage schedules in Ukraine will apply all day on Saturday.