For Ukraine, the winter season is not just a time of year, but a test of the resilience of the entire energy system. In the context of ongoing enemy attacks on critical infrastructure, the issue of maintaining heat in homes becomes a matter of survival. The National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities (NKREKU) has adopted a decision that is intended to serve as "first aid" for cities that have lost their heat supply.
New rules of the game: accelerating the introduction of reserves
The regulator has updated the rules for connecting backup boiler houses to gas distribution networks. This change concerns Resolution No. 355 dated March 29, 2022, which was adopted and is in effect under martial law. The essence of the innovation lies in simplifying and accelerating the procedures that allow for the launch of backup heat sources.
Previously, the process of connecting and commissioning alternative facilities could take a significant amount of time due to bureaucratic and technical complexities. Now, the mechanism allows backup boiler houses to be put into operation much faster. This is critically important when main thermal power plants (TPPs) or boiler houses are damaged or destroyed as a result of shelling.
Mechanism for using "freed-up" capacity
A key aspect of the updated document is the clear definition of the procedure for using the capacity of gas distribution systems. In a situation where a large energy facility is put out of operation, a certain reserve of throughput capacity is formed in the gas network. Previously, this resource could not always be promptly redirected to local backup sources.
The new resolution regulates the use of this "freed-up" capacity for the operation of backup equipment. This allows for the uninterrupted production of heat for the population, using those gas resources that were previously directed to damaged stations.
The goal is continuity of heating supply
The main task of the updated rules is to minimize the downtime of heating and hot water supply systems. The operational replacement of failed main facilities with backup boiler houses will help avoid long periods without heat in residential areas.
The head of NKREKU, Yurii Vlasenko, emphasized the strategic importance of this step. According to him, this decision is aimed at increasing the overall resilience of the country's energy system and creating additional conditions for successfully passing the heating season, despite external threats.
