The operator of Ukraine’s electricity network announced yesterday that the harsh winter weather has left more than 1,000 towns and villages in nine regions without power, urging residents to conserve energy as recent Russian attacks have weakened the energy system.
Ukraine’s energy company, Ukrenergo, reported that electricity consumption has reached its highest levels this week as temperatures dropped to around -15 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country.
They added through the Telegram app, “Consumption levels are continuing to rise due to the significant drop in temperatures across the country,” and noted that morning electricity consumption was already 5.8% higher than the previous day.
Ukrenergo also highlighted that the weather has caused significant damage to distribution networks due to strong winds, frost, and the formation of a thick layer of ice on equipment, leading to delays in repair work.
The company stated, “Currently, there is enough electricity to supply all residential and commercial consumers, but the significant increase in consumption places an additional burden on power stations, which are already operating at maximum capacity and need to increase their generation quickly and significantly. This could lead to ‘technological disruptions’.”
Ukraine has been forced to import electricity from neighboring Romania and Slovakia to meet demand.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian thermal power plants are still recovering from the massive Russian strikes that occurred last winter, and solar power stations have been unable to operate at full capacity due to thick clouds and adverse weather conditions.
In a broader context, a cold wave is affecting countries in central and eastern Europe, resulting in power outages and transportation issues in Poland.
The Polish Meteorological Institute, which previously recorded extremely low temperatures of -23 degrees Celsius in the northeast, has issued warnings of severe cold affecting most areas, with expectations of further temperature drops during the week.
In northeastern Poland, 2,200 households experienced power cuts, and school buses stopped running.
In Daugavpils, Latvia’s second-largest city, temperatures dropped to -29.5 degrees Celsius yesterday. In neighboring Lithuania, where Zarasai in the west recorded -28 degrees Celsius, a woman died due to the cold on Saturday. Elementary school students across most of the country were allowed to stay home.
Additionally, the Hungarian National Meteorological Service has forecasted a drop in temperatures to -12 degrees Celsius during the weekend.
The severe cold wave has prompted authorities and residents across the affected regions to take extra precautions and prioritize safety during this challenging weather.
