Ukrainian grid operator announces 30% energy shortage as of Tuesday morning

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine’s sole power grid operator announced on Tuesday that an energy shortage of 30% has been recorded in the country’s energy system.

“As of 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 29, electricity producers provide 70% of electricity consumption in Ukraine. The current capacity deficit is 30%,” Ukrenergo said in a statement on Telegram.

According to the statement, the power shortage was caused by the emergency shutdown of several power plants on Monday morning and due to worsening weather conditions which have raised energy consumption levels.

“We emphasize that the general deficit in the energy system is a consequence of seven waves of Russian missile attacks on the country's energy infrastructure,” the statement also noted.

It added that consumption limits have been implemented by Ukrenergo for each region, which cannot be exceeded.

Ukrenergo also noted that schedules of planned outages have been devised.

“We remind you that the frugal use of electricity will make it possible to apply less restrictions aimed at preventing accidents, and will also allow energy workers to focus on repairing damaged objects, which become more difficult with each subsequent missile attack,” the statement concluded.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Sunday that the country's power system was stabilized with the capacity deficit remaining at the level of about 20%.

Over the past week, Russian strikes have hit the infrastructure in multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv, with Ukraine's national energy company Ukrenergo, as a response, announcing emergency shutdowns in all regions "to protect power grids from additional technological accidents and support the operation of the power system."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Since the Moscow-Kyiv war started in February, Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been the target of Russian airstrikes that increased after an explosion on Oct. 8 damaged the key Kerch Bridge to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.