Two of Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants, Rivne and Pivdennoukrainsk, have reduced electricity production as a precautionary measure due to Russian missile strikes. The instability in the power grid caused by the shelling also led to the shutdown of one of the units at Khmelnytskyi NPP, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.
Yesterday, Russia launched its 14th mass missile attack on Ukrainian power infrastructure with 74 cruise missiles, 28 drones, and 32 S-300 air defense missiles. Although Ukraine’s air defenses had shot down the lion’s share, Russia managed to hit energy infrastructure objects in six Ukrainian Oblasts, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko informed. These included thermal and hydroelectric power plants, as well as high-voltage infrastructure. However, the integrity of the Ukrainian power system was preserved, he added.
Emergency blackouts were introduced in many oblasts, with the situation being most dire in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytskyi oblasts.
CEO Ukraine’s power operator Ukrenergo Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said that the damage done was “significant” but not catastrophic. He said that repair works would continue on the weekend to restore the work of damaged power objects.
Ukraine’s energy facilities are under constant Russian missile attacks since 10 October. Recently, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that almost two dozen power units of thermal power plants remain damaged due to constant Russian missile attacks against Ukraine’s power grid.
“If we add to this the fact of the occupation of part of our energy facilities, then Ukraine temporarily lost 44% of nuclear generation, 75% of thermal power plants’ generation, and 33% of combined heat and power plants,” Shmyhal said.
Also, half of the Ukrainian substations distributing power throughout the country were hit during Russian attacks since October 2022.
75% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants don’t work due to Russian continuous missile attacks
