After power supply is restored according to schedules, lights sometimes disappear again in just a few minutes. One of the main reasons for such repeated outages is a sharp increase in load on the power grid due to simultaneous switching on of many household appliances.
This was reported on November 10 by energy company DTEK in a statement, explaining the causes of accidents after scheduled outages.
According to power engineers, after a long absence of electricity, many appliances left plugged in start working automatically immediately after power restoration.
In particular, water heaters, electric heaters, inverters and other power-hungry equipment turn on simultaneously. At the same time, consumers often start washing machines, electric stoves, and plug in portable power stations for charging.
When thousands of powerful electrical appliances start working at once, the load on the grid jumps sharply. This can lead to equipment overload, voltage fluctuations, and new emergency outages.
DTEK explained that especially vulnerable are sections of power grids damaged as a result of Russian attacks. While power engineers restore equipment, some lines cannot always withstand sudden increases in consumption.
As a result, after power returns, emergency protection may trip and consumers will lose electricity again. This repeat outage is not necessarily related to a change in the established schedule.
To reduce the risk of new accidents, energy workers recommend switching on powerful electrical appliances gradually, not all at once.
In particular, after power supply is restored, you should wait about 15 minutes before switching on energy-intensive devices. Other heavy appliances should be started one by one, with additional intervals.
Special attention should be paid to water heaters, heating appliances, washing machines, electric stoves and charging stations. If possible, their operation should be scheduled over time so as not to create simultaneous peak demand.
It is also recommended to unplug in advance powerful equipment that may start automatically when voltage appears.
The company emphasized that following these recommendations will help reduce the load on power grids and cut the likelihood of repeated emergency outages.
As a reminder, due to the consequences of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, Ukraine continues to have power supply limitation schedules. For November 11, Ukrenergo also planned hourly outages in most regions of the country.
