Situation with energy system to be 'difficult' this week, Ukrenergo warns.

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The situation with Ukraine's energy system has gotten worse since the beginning of June and will be "difficult" this week, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the head of Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo, said on June 4 on national television. The high temperature, which causes an increase in electricity consumption, as well as recent Russian attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, have led to the deterioration of the situation, according to Kudrytskyi. A recent uptick in Russian strikes put a heavy strain on Ukraine's power grid, with several power plants being destroyed or disabled.

Due to resulting power deficits, Ukraine began implementing rolling shutdowns on May 15. The rolling blackouts last from four to eight hours on average and could be carried out up to three times per day. Emergency power outages were introduced in several Ukrainian oblasts, including the capital of Kyiv, on June 4, as the energy system continues to suffer from a power deficit.

Ukraine Weekly By Olga Rudenko

Solar energy production has reduced due to cloudy weather, while Ukraine's nuclear generation facilities are undergoing scheduled repair work, according to Kudrytskyi.

"The situation will be difficult this week," the head of Ukrenergo said, adding that the situation will improve on the weekends as the electricity consumption drops. "This always happens, it is a stable trend. Therefore, it will be a bit easier at the weekend."

Kudrytskyi also explained that the limits for each oblast are being established due to the available power-generating capacities. "The amount of electricity we can generate and our import is the amount (of electricity) we can distribute among the regions, roughly speaking," he added. The limits could be changed if part of the generation is being restored or the electricity consumption decreases, according to the head of Ukrenergo.

Since the start of 2024, Russia has launched six large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Russia carried out the last large-scale attack overnight on May 8, targeting critical infrastructure in central and western regions. An attack in April destroyed the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.

Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure have cost the state over £1 billion in damage, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said in May.

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