What’s happening
In some regions, hourly power outages will be introduced today from 15:00 until the end of the day. The volume of restrictions for all consumer categories will be up to a single rotation, according to a statement by Ukrenergo.
These measures will affect both household users and businesses, as networks will operate according to schedules that involve staged outages lasting several hours. The emphasis is on the need to conserve electricity while the restrictions are in force and on simple rules of behaviour after power is restored.
Why now — infrastructure damage and risk of overload
The measures are a response to damage to the energy infrastructure caused by Russian shelling. Ukrenergo notes that some generation capacity or transmission lines have been taken out of service due to the damage, which increases the risk of failures in the network.
In addition to the destruction, there is a threat of equipment overload if consumption rises above permissible levels. To avoid breakdowns and widespread outages, planned hourly restrictions are being used to distribute the load more evenly throughout the day.
Who the restrictions will affect and how
Restrictions will apply to all consumer categories, with the possibility of a one-off disconnection of up to a single rotation. For industrial consumers, schedules limiting capacity will also be introduced from 15:00. Power limitations mean a temporary reduction in the available electrical capacity for a specific consumer in order to reduce the overall load on the network.
Consumers are urged to use electricity sparingly while the schedules are in force and not to switch on several high-power devices simultaneously immediately after power returns. This will reduce the risk of a repeat automatic disconnection caused by a surge in load.
Where to check the specific schedule
The current outage times for a given address can be checked on the official pages of the distribution system operator (the regional power distribution company — oblenenergo) in your region. The distribution system operator is the local company responsible for delivering electricity to consumers and for publishing the schedules of planned restrictions.
If your work or business depends on uninterrupted power, check the schedule in advance and arrange backup power sources or move critical processes to other hours. Information about schedules and recommendations is available on the pages of the relevant oblenenergo.
