Energy infrastructure Photo: Getty images
Ukraine’s power system has suffered significant damage as a result of another Russian missile and drone attack, the 12th since the beginning of the year. On Friday, 13 December, Ukrenergo announced the introduction of three rounds of blackouts, which is significantly higher than the previous forecast.
The extent of the damage
Critical power facilities were damaged in several regions of Ukraine. This has led to a forced increase in the number of outages to stabilise the power system. Initially, it was planned that only one or two rounds of blackouts would be in effect on Friday, but the scale of consumption restrictions increased significantly due to the strikes.
Emergency and restoration works
Power engineers began restoration work immediately after the air alert ended. In Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Cherkasy and Kirovohrad regions, difficult weather conditions (ice and strong winds) further complicated the situation. As of the morning, 198 settlements were without electricity.
Electricity imports
To cover the deficit, Ukraine imports electricity from Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova. According to Ukrenergo, the total volume of imports is 13,447 MWh, with the maximum capacity reaching 1, 098 MW in some hours.
Power engineers call for understanding
The company emphasises that it is doing everything possible to restore power supply as soon as possible. Ukrainians are urged to be responsible with their electricity consumption, especially during peak hours, to reduce the load on the system.
Russia’s massive attacks on Ukraine’s energy system have been going on since October 2022. This is the 12th large-scale attack aimed at destroying infrastructure. Despite the constant attacks, Ukrainian power engineers are finding ways to quickly restore the system, and international support is helping to stabilise the situation.
