Kyiv predicted up to 16 hours without power in case of new attacks on energy
Kyiv may face schedules with no electricity for 14-16 hours a day as early as October. This scenario is possible in the event of new Russian strikes on key energy infrastructure facilities in the capital and Kyiv region.
This was stated by the head of the Union of Utility Consumers, Oleh Popenko, in an interview on the YouTube channel "Superposition".
According to his assessment, risks for Kyiv have increased significantly after a series of attacks on energy facilities. Popenko mentioned strikes on the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, the Trypilska Thermal Power Plant, and the capital's CHP-5, which occurred over a short period. In his opinion, further damage to generation or networks could force energy workers to impose much stricter restrictions.
It is in this scenario, the expert noted, that schedules with 14-16 hours without electricity per day may appear in Kyiv as early as October. This refers not to already approved outages, but to a forecast in case attacks continue.
Popenko also pointed out that the problem is not limited to damage to power plants. The resilience of the system also depends on substations, trunk networks, and power lines. In case of serious destruction of high-voltage line towers, their restoration, according to him, may take not several days, but months.
In a much worse scenario, when Ukraine loses a large part of available generation, outages could be even longer. Commenting on the possible failure of up to 15 GW of capacity, Popenko suggested that then electricity could be out for 20-22 hours a day across the country. At the same time, this assessment refers specifically to a large-scale scenario of destruction of the energy system, not the current situation.
The expert also believes that Kyiv remains insufficiently prepared for prolonged interruptions. In particular, he drew attention to providing residential buildings with backup power for pumps and elevators, as well as the need for reserve heat supply sources. According to him, a significant part of the capital's housing stock still does not have such capabilities.
At the same time, Popenko does not consider a full-scale humanitarian crisis in the capital inevitable. Even under difficult conditions, the city, in his opinion, will be able to organize the supply of water and food, but serious problems may arise with the operation of medical facilities, schools, kindergartens, and assistance to people with limited mobility and the elderly.
The mentioned 14-16 hours without electricity is an expert assessment of the possible consequences of further attacks, not an official outage schedule.
Based on materials: YouTube channel "Superposition"
