The warm weather has improved the level of energy consumption, which will likely result in a reduced number of power shutdowns, according to Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the chairman of the transmission system operator Ukrenergo management board, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
In recent months, Russian ballistic missile strikes have caused significant damage to half of Ukraine’s energy system. According to representatives of Ukrenergo, Russians are attempting to achieve what they failed to complete in 2022-2023 – plunge Ukraine into darkness. The company and experts believe that strengthening the country’s air defenses is the best way to protect Ukrainian thermal plants, power lines, and other energy facilities from Russian missiles, BBC reports.
“Warming has somewhat reduced the level of electricity consumption in Ukraine. This will likely allow us to avoid disconnecting consumers at night and in the morning, as it was last week,” noted Kudrytskyi.
However, the head of Ukrenergo said it will not yet be possible to completely avoid shutdowns in Ukraine. Energy workers will be forced to limit electricity supply in the summer, autumn, and winter. Power outages will continue until the restoration of the generation facilities damaged by Russian attacks is done.
Due to the electricity shortage, Ukrenergo implemented restrictions on energy supply for industry and businesses but also warned that residential consumers could face shutdowns. Currently, the outages for the population have also begun.
Earlier, Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Halushchenko said that the latest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure objects inflicted over $1 billion in losses to the country’s energy system.
Recent Russian missile strikes caused over $ 1 billion in losses to Ukraine’s energy sector
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