On Thursday, October 29, hourly electricity outage schedules will be in effect in some regions of Ukraine. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to a statement by the national energy company "Ukrenergo". The restrictions are being introduced against the backdrop of the consequences of massive Russian attacks on energy facilities, which continue to affect the stability of the country's energy system. The company warns that as a result of shelling, the situation may change throughout the day and urges residents to monitor up-to-date schedules on the official pages of distribution system operators (oblenergo) in their region.
Reason for restrictions and Ukrenergo's position
"Ukrenergo" directly links the need to introduce schedules with the consequences of massive Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. The company's statement emphasizes that the situation in the energy system is unstable and can be adjusted as events develop, so the only reliable sources of information about the time and queues of outages are the official channels of local oblenergo. In addition, Ukrainians are urged to consume electricity sparingly during periods when power is supplied according to the schedule in order to reduce the load on the grid and shorten the duration of restrictions.
Chronology and volume of queues
According to my.ua, as early as Wednesday, October 28, hourly outages ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 queues have been in effect in most regions of Ukraine from morning until late night. The next day, October 29, according to stopcor.org, schedules in some regions will be in effect almost all day — approximately from 06:00 to 23:59. For comparison: a week earlier, on October 22, "Ukrenergo" also introduced hourly outages for all categories of consumers from 06:00 to 23:59 in the amount of one to two queues, and for industrial consumers — power limitation schedules during the same period.
Situation in Kyiv
On Wednesday, information began to spread online that the center of Kyiv was allegedly left without power. The Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) denied this, reporting that there are no emergency power outages in the capital. Thus, there is no officially confirmed data on a complete blackout of the center of Kyiv, and the messages circulating in social networks have not been confirmed in the statement of the city authorities.
Konotop and recommendations for consumers
Separately, "Ukrenergo" noted that electricity supply in Konotop, which has been experiencing power problems for the fifth consecutive day, may be restored by the end of the day. The expert community, in particular energy expert Hennadii Riabtsev, previously pointed out that in winter the most difficult situation is expected in settlements near the combat zone, where electricity problems, according to the specialist's assessment, may last longer than the cold period; he included Kharkiv, Sumy, and Kherson in the list of the most problematic cities. Residents are advised to keep a supply of water and chargers at hand, as well as to plan their daily lives taking into account possible reductions in power supply.
