Dec 7, 2023 at 7:55 PM Update: an hour ago
Ukraine calls on citizens to save electricity after an attack on a power plant in the country. It is the first time since last winter that Kyiv has asked for this.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry says a thermal power plant has been hit in one of the regions where fighting is taking place. This is a power station where heat energy is converted into electricity.
According to the ministry, the power plant suffered serious damage. It is still unclear which power plant is involved and where it is located.
The damage to the power plant has caused a “temporary shortage of electricity”. Other damage, a lack of solar energy and low temperatures also contribute to the power shortage.
Last winter, millions of people were left without power in the cold
It is the first time since last winter that Ukraine has called on citizens to save electricity. Last winter, millions of people were left without power and heating. The electricity network was hit several times by Russian missiles and drones.
Not all the damage from that time has been repaired yet. Ukraine announced in November that it would not be able to produce enough power to meet demand.
Freezing temperatures consume more power than predicted
The shortage of Ukrainian electricity is supplemented with electricity from neighboring countries Poland, Slovakia and Romania. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says that energy company Ukrenergo must import extra electricity as an emergency measure.
But there is no guarantee that this will work. The energy company reported on Thursday that the demand for electricity is 2.7 percent higher than predicted due to the freezing cold in the country.
The government in Kyiv expects many more attacks on the electricity grid this winter and has strengthened its air defenses with Western help.
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2023-12-07 18:55:52
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