Around 400,000 consumers in Ukraine remain without power daily due to Russian attacks – ministry
Around 400,000 consumers in Ukraine are left without electricity every day due to Russian strikes on energy facilities, Acting Minister of Energy Artem Nekrasov said.
"Because of constant Russian shelling, on average about 400,000 consumers remain without electricity every day, mainly in border and frontline regions. This figure changes daily and depends on the intensity of Russian strikes," he said during a briefing at the Ministry of Energy on Wednesday, which was broadcast online.
According to Nekrasov, attacks simultaneously targeting power generation as well as electricity transmission and distribution networks significantly complicate and prolong the restoration process.
"However, thanks to our hero energy workers, restoration work continues nonstop. Energy specialists are working virtually around the clock, and it is precisely thanks to their efforts that the situation in the power system remains under control," the head of the Energy Ministry said.
He also explained that differences in power outage schedules across regions are a consequence of Russian attacks.
"The power system was not designed for such a scenario, and the ability to transmit electricity from power plants to consumers over many hundreds of kilometers is currently limited," Nekrasov said.
He urged consumers to use electricity sparingly and to shift energy-intensive processes to nighttime hours after 11:00 p.m.
Nekrasov added that saving electricity would help reduce outage schedules.
As reported, since the Russian attack on the energy sector on December 13, which left more than 600,000 consumers in the city of Odesa and Odesa region, more than half of the region, without power, as of Wednesday morning about 32,000 consumers were still awaiting restoration of electricity supply.