Generators for the Mykolaivoblteploenergo's boiler houses in Mykolaiv require ₴13 million per month — they will only be switched on in freezing weather

Obltelenergo plans to use the generators when temperatures drop below zero. Photo: NikVesti

«Mykolaivoblteploenergo» does not use generators during power cuts whilst temperatures in the city remain above freezing. The company’s management says that around 13 million hryvnias per month is needed for fuel if the generators are to be switched on. And that is expensive.

This was discussed during a staff meeting at Mykolaiv City Council on 9 November, according to NikVesti.

Mykola Lohvinov, director of «Mykolaivoblteploenergo», explained that around 80 per cent of boiler houses operate without power cuts: they either have their own power generation or are on the list of facilities that are not subject to power cuts. However, there are boiler houses that operate in accordance with the hourly power cut schedules.

Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych noted that residents of Mykolaiv are complaining to the contact centre that there is no heating during power cuts.

«And your staff at the contact centre reply that the diesel generators aren’t working because we don’t have any fuel,» said the mayor.

NikVestiMykola Logvinov, Director of «Mykolaivoblteploenergo». Archive photo NikVesti

Mykola Lohvinov replied that using the generators is expensive. There is currently a 14-day supply of fuel.

«We have 350 generators. When we run these generators in economy mode during a state of emergency, we use 65 tonnes of diesel over 14 days. In monetary terms, that’s around 6.5 million hryvnias. That works out at 13 million hryvnias a month. We have a stock of this fuel; we’ve secured enough for 14 days. But if we start running the generators, we’ll have sufficient financial resources to purchase more,» said Mykola Lohvinov.

According to him, they plan to use the generators during cold spells and are currently working out how to optimise this system.

«I suggest we start them up when the temperature is at zero or below. When the weather is above zero, we won’t be able to cover the costs. 13 million a month is a lot,» said the director of the regional heating and power company.

Dmytro Falko, Secretary of the Mykolaiv City Council, asked why gas generators were not being installed, given that there is already gas in the boiler rooms.

«We’re using the generators provided by donors. Secondly, using a gas generator is not a panacea either; it is very complex equipment. It is also a gas-powered project, and this requires a separate gas metering unit. It is very expensive,» replied the director of the regional heating company.

It should be recalled that during a staff meeting in March 2026, it was mentioned that in Mykolaiv, individual heating points (ITPs) are to be fitted with batteries, inverters and generators to ensure uninterrupted operation during power cuts. According to Mykola Lohvinov, as of November, 180 had been installed at ITPs and booster stations.

Furthermore, the director of the regional heating and power company stated that it is advisable to use generators only when the situation is «really bad», when there are prolonged power cuts, as fuel costs are high.

Heating problems in the new heating season

During a staff meeting on 9 November, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych criticised the procedure for starting up heating at the Mykolaiv CHPP, under which the company is given 10 working days after the start of the heating season has been announced to connect consumers. He questioned the wisdom of such a timeframe, as city residents are left without heating during this period.

In addition, the regional heating company reported that, among their facilities, four blocks of flats and School №14 are currently without heating. New boiler rooms have been built for these, so heating should be connected in the near future.

Read also the NikVesti article: «Winter on backup power. Will Mykolaiv have enough heat and water during the power cuts?».