The power deficit in Ukraine's energy system has increased as the consumption rises, the country's state grid operator Ukrenergo reported on Jan. 23. Emergency power outages have been introduced in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia, and Volyn oblasts where consumption limits have been exceeded.
The electricity cut-offs may be implemented in other Ukrainian regions as well, Ukrenergo wrote on Telegram.
"Electricity consumption is higher than on Sunday due to the beginning of the working week, as well as a gradual decrease in temperature throughout Ukraine," reads the report.
According to Ukrenergo, Russia's latest mass attack on Ukraine's energy system on Jan. 14 "caused significant damage" to several power units of thermal power plants. "Electricity production at operating power plants cannot fully cover consumption," the operator added.
Another reason for the power deficit, except for Russian strikes, is that more than 10 gigawatts of the capacity are currently inaccessible to the Ukrainian energy system and are under Russian control, according to Ukrenergo.
These capacities used to be produced at the now-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Kakhovka Hydro Power Plant, Luhansk, Enerhodar, and Vuhlehirsk thermal power plants.
The majority of Ukraine's wind and solar power plants are also located in the Russian- occupied territories of the country's south, Ukrenergo wrote.
Russian troops have repeatedly attacked energy infrastructure across Ukraine since early October, killing dozens of people and causing electricity, water, and heating cut-offs.
Moscow has admitted that Ukraine’s energy system is one of its primary targets. According to the Geneva Convention, attacking vital public infrastructure constitutes a war crime.
