Noticeable cooling and weather forecasts have prompted local authorities in several regions of Ukraine to launch heating systems for the population starting October 28, 2026. Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi have officially announced the beginning of the heating period: city councils and municipal heat supply enterprises have prepared relevant orders and warned residents that turning on the heat is a technological process that requires time and coordination of emergency services.

Ternopil: Heating Period Begins at 9:00

According to the press service of the Ternopil City Council, the decision to start the heating period was made at a meeting of the city council's executive committee. "Due to the decrease in the average daily air temperature on October 28 at 9:00, the heating period begins on the territory of the Ternopil urban territorial community," citizens were informed. KP "Ternopilmiheatocommunenergo" reminded residents that starting the heating system is a technological process that takes time, and asked residents to provide emergency workers access to buildings and housing to carry out necessary work in case of malfunctions. The city council emphasized that heat supply employees and emergency services will work in an enhanced mode to ensure the proper operation of boiler houses and the supply of heat to the homes of Ternopil residents.

Khmelnytskyi: Phased but Prompt Launch

Khmelnytskyi Mayor Oleksandr Symchyshyn announced a similar start date for the heating season—from October 28. His decree instructs the city infrastructure department (V. Novachok) and the municipal enterprise "Khmelnytskyteplokomunergo" (V. Skaliy) to carry out a phased launch of heating for residential buildings and all other consumers starting October 28, 2026. Specialists are required to ensure round-the-clock operation of maintenance personnel during the launch of boiler houses and heat networks. "We will turn it on in stages, but promptly," Symchyshyn stressed. Residents were advised to contact the relevant services if problems with heat supply to homes persist for more than two days from the start of the launch.

What Residents Need to Know When Heat is Turned On

In both cities, authorities focus on practical details. Starting the heating is not an instantaneous event: the coolant warms up the networks gradually, so in some houses radiators may heat up with a delay. Local residents are advised to provide emergency services access to houses and apartments, and in case of problems in apartment buildings—in particular due to air trapped in the system—to contact the relevant heat supply enterprises and hotlines published by city councils. Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi promise an enhanced mode of operation for boiler house and heat network personnel throughout the launch period.

Tariff Context: What Remains Unchanged

Against the backdrop of the heating season launch, it is also important for Ukrainians to consider the tariff situation. According to Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, the electricity tariff will remain unchanged until the end of 2026 at 4.32 hryvnias per kilowatt-hour, and the gas tariff will not change until at least the end of March 2027. For residents of homes with electric heating, a preferential tariff of 2.64 hryvnias per kilowatt-hour is in effect annually from October 1 to April 30, but only for the first 2,000 kilowatt-hours per month; moreover, this benefit is not applied automatically and requires a separate application to the service provider.

Standards and History: When Heat Is Usually Turned On

Under current standards, heat begins to flow into apartments when the average outdoor temperature is +8 °C or lower for three consecutive days. Specific dates each year depend on the weather and are determined by local authorities. For reference: in the capital during the full-scale war, the heating season started on October 20, 2022, October 16, 2023, October 30, 2024, and October 29, 2025. Thus, the launch in Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi on October 28, 2026, fits into the chronology customary for recent seasons, while the exact launch dates in other cities—Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, and elsewhere—continue to be specified as the weather cools down.