Ukraine's preparation for 2025/26 heating season on track at over 70%

Ukraine's preparations for the 2025/2026 autumn-winter period are on schedule, with readiness already exceeding 70%, Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine's Recovery, Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksiy Kuleba reported.

"Seventy percent readiness for the heating season is the national average and is in line with the plan. We are not behind schedule, and there are still 2.5 months we can use to prepare," Kuleba said during Friday's "Government Q&A Hour" in parliament, which was streamed by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko.

As for Kryvy Rih, MPs inquired about its readiness, and Kuleba responded that it stands at roughly 50%. However, he emphasized that the government and Naftogaz Ukrainy, which owns the Kryvy Rih Combined Heat and Power Plant, are taking all necessary steps to ensure the city passes the heating season without major issues.

"Kryvy Rih faced a very difficult situation last year. Now we are working ahead of schedule. At this stage, the city is at 50% readiness, due to the need for extensive work on replacing heating networks under the Kryvy Rih CHP's management. We are keeping the situation under control, and we have a task force dedicated specifically to Kryvy Rih," the deputy prime minister said.

According to Kuleba, 103,000 out of 145,000 residential buildings (71%), 19,500 out of almost 25,000 social facilities (80%), 13,000 out of 17,500 boiler houses (76%) are already ready for winter.

"In total, UAH 11.6 billion has already been spent on preparing for the heating season, this is financing communal enterprises, heat and power, and all this is at the expense of local governments," the deputy prime minister said.

As reported, on November 22, 2024, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development stated that Kryvy Rih faced a critical heating crisis. At the time, 934 apartment buildings housing 110,000 residents, along with 11 healthcare facilities, 43 schools, and a social services center, were left without heat.