Ukraine faces countrywide power outages as electricity deficit worsens
Emergency power outages swept across all regions of Ukraine on 15 May, lasting from 6:40 am to 9:00 am, as the national energy company Ukrenergo grappled with an electricity deficit exacerbated by Russian strikes on power infrastructure.
Due to an electricity shortage, the Dispatch Center of Ukrenergo implemented emergency power outages on 15 May from 6:40 am to 9:00 am in all regions of Ukraine.
According to the national energy company Ukrenergo, the reason is “the electricity deficit due to an increase in consumption caused by cooling weather against the backdrop of the consequences of Russian shelling.” The power supply to critical infrastructure facilities reportedly is not limited.
Russian troops have repeatedly attacked energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine this spring. In particular, according to the Ministry of Energy, Russian forces attacked overnight into 8 May electricity generation and transmission facilities in six oblasts: Poltava, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia.
After a wave of massive Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine estimated the damage to the energy system at over $1 billion, according to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Ukrenergo announced that power limitation schedules will affect industrial consumers today from 00:00 am to 24:00 pm. The company does not report whether there will be restrictions during the day on 15 May.
On the evening of 14 May, emergency power outages were implemented in all oblasts of Ukraine from 9:00 pm to 12:00 am.