Power outages in Ukraine can last up to 18 hours a day in winter

In winter, power outages in Ukraine can last up to 18 hours a day. Photo: NikVesti

The shortage of electricity in Ukraine can lead to blackouts in winter from 4 to 18 hours a day.

This is stated in the report of the UN Monitoring Mission on Human Rights in Ukraine, which was published on Thursday, September 19, NV writes.

Analysts noted that during the period from March 22 to August 31, 2024, the Russians shelled electricity facilities 36 times and carried out nine waves of «long-range and well-coordinated attacks» on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. 25 thermal power plants, seven hydroelectric plants, and two renewable energy facilities were hit. At least 101 strikes on electricity distribution and transmission facilities were also recorded.

According to Ukrainian energy experts, the population is facing a difficult winter with a deficit in the energy system at the level of more than 30% due to a shortage of three to six gigawatts of electricity during peak hours.

The scale of the outages will depend on how cold the winter of 2024/25 will be and whether there will be new Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

«The most serious consequences for the civilian population could have been avoided if the power outages had been limited to a few hours on schedule. If the new attacks lead to a prolonged emergency shutdown, the consequences will be significant,» technical experts said.

Power outage in Mykolaiv Oblast

As you know, power outages across Ukraine have returned since mid-May 2024. The main reason for this is the resumption of large-scale shelling of the energy sector by the Russians, which destroyed 9.2 GW of Ukrainian generation over the past three months.

The government explained that the outages will last until August-September. And in winter, a deficit in the energy system is predicted even at high temperatures.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the Ministry of Energy and Ukrenergo should develop a resolution that would regulate «fair schedules of turning off the lights for consumers.»

In Mykolaiv and the region, outages occur according to the queues to which the region is divided according to the Mykolaivoblenergo schedule — there are 6 of them in total. The list of addresses by queues can be viewed at the link.

Also, Mykolaivoblenergo presented a search system that should help consumers more easily navigate schedules and power outages.