Ukrainian power grid operator introduces emergency shutdowns in multiple regions

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine's sole power grid operator said on Monday that it introduced emergency shutdowns in multiple regions across the country, including the capital Kyiv, due to an excess of energy consumption.

"Currently, due to exceeding consumption limits, emergency shutdowns have been introduced in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Kyiv regions, and in the city of Kyiv," Ukrenergo announced on Telegram.

It also said repair work is ongoing at generation facilities and several power grids have been damaged as a result of nine Russian attacks recently.

"Due to the scale and complexity of the damage, restoring the equipment and functioning of a number of key facilities requires considerable time … Operators are doing everything possible to improve the situation with electricity supply in the country," a Ukrenergo statement said.

It also noted that the capacity deficit in Ukraine's power system remains significant.

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