Emergency energy power shutdowns were introduced in eight Ukrainian oblasts due to higher consumption and Russian attacks on the country's energy system, Ukrenergo, Ukraine's state grid operator, reported on Feb. 4.
The news comes as Ukraine's power grid continues to recover from past Russian missile and drone strikes, with restoration work continuing at power facilities.
The most recent Russian attacks inflicted damage to electricity generation and transmission facilities, leading to power cutoffs, Ukrenergo wrote. Electricity consumption is also growing as temperatures in Ukraine drop below zero.
The emergency shutdowns were introduced in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, and Kirovohrad oblasts, as well as partially in the Dnipropetrovsk and Cherkasy oblasts, Ukrenergo said on Telegram.
The grid operator Ukrenergo asked Ukrainians to reduce electricity consumption between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. to prevent electricity shortages.
Scheduled blackouts were common across Ukraine when Russia launched mass attacks on the country's energy system in the fall and winter of 2022-2023 and in the spring-summer period of 2024. These attacks also led to heat, water, and mobile network disruptions throughout Ukraine.
This winter was expected to be one of the war’s toughest, with blackouts potentially lasting up to 20 hours a day. For now, Ukraine has managed to avoid predicted winter blackouts due to warm weather and Ukraine's improved ability to protect and quickly repair its energy infrastructure despite continued Russian attacks.
Natalia Yermak
(Updated: )
