Skip to content
Edit post

Ukraine to resume scheduled blackouts after 3-week break, says state grid operator

by Natalia Yermak August 18, 2024 7:21 PM 2 min read
A view of Kharkiv, Ukraine during a blackout on March 25, 2024. (Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Scheduled blackouts will resume across Ukraine on Aug. 19 for the first time in three weeks, the state grid operator Ukrenergo announced on Aug. 18.

The renewed blackouts are due to increased electricity consumption amid hot weather, Ukrenergo said on its Telegram channel. The last power cuts were reported on July 29.

In July, regular blackouts were implemented during a record-breaking heatwave, which led to higher electricity use, particularly for air conditioning, putting additional strain on Ukraine's energy grid, already weakened by  Russian aerial strikes.

Power cuts are typically scheduled during specific hours, allowing residents to check the timing for their area online. However, in July, energy deficits often extended these blackouts beyond the planned duration, disrupting daily life and business activities.

"Next week, we will face a new challenge with the heat," Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the chairman of the Ukrenergo Board, said in a statement on Aug. 18.

Kudrytskyi noted that while Ukrenergo managed to cover last week's evening energy deficits using "emergency help" and "additional generating capacities," the deficit is expected to persist throughout the day next week.

"Conserving energy will be crucial to minimize discomfort for all consumers from Monday to Friday," Kudrytsky added.

Ukrainian officials previously stated that the energy situation should improve in August once repairs at some nuclear power units are completed. Meanwhile, the country is racing to restore its power grid before winter while continuing to implement regular blackouts.

Opinion: Were the Istanbul peace talks a missed opportunity for Ukraine?
Recent reflections on the Russo-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 offer new insights and perspectives. However, they often overlook a crucial factor: Moscow’s dismal history of honoring political and security agreements with former Soviet republics. Ma…

News Feed

10:46 AM

US halts Ukraine-bound weapons already staged in Poland, WSJ reports.

The shipment includes over two dozen PAC-3 Patriot missiles, more than two dozen Stinger air-defense systems, Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, and over 90 AIM air-to-air missiles intended for use with Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets, according to U.S. administration and congressional officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
5:49 PM

Failed US peace effort left Ukraine worse off, expert argues.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with Michael McFaul, an academic and former U.S. ambassador to Russia (2012–2014), to discuss the state of the Ukraine-Russia peace process following U.S. President Donald Trump’s failed effort, the threat of U.S. disengagement, and a congressional bill introducing new sanctions against Russia and its trading partners supporting its war machine.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.