Ukraine Faces Possible Power Outages This Summer Due to Heat

In the summer months, particularly in July and August, Ukraine may experience hourly power outages. This could be caused by extreme heat, which traditionally leads to a significant increase in energy consumption, especially in the evening when the load on the energy system reaches its peak. According to experts’ forecasts, the likelihood of a power deficit increases if some energy blocks remain under repair and the volume of electricity imports cannot meet the rising demand.
This is reported by AgroReview
Situation Compared to Last Year
Experts remind us that in 2023, during intense heat, residents in many regions of the country, including the capital, faced widespread power outages. In Kyiv, the duration of power supply interruptions could reach 8-12 hours per day. However, this year’s situation is somewhat more stable, as energy workers have managed to partially restore damaged energy capacities after the massive attacks by the Russian Federation.
“Of the 10 gigawatts of capacity that were destroyed or damaged due to Russian missile and drone attacks, a significant portion has been restored. So, if the attacks do not resume at the same scale as last year, a repeat of last year’s scenario is unlikely,” he emphasized.
Balance of Generation and Consumption – Key to Stability
Despite the improvement in the energy situation, the main problem remains the balance between energy generation and consumption. According to specialists, over the past year, Ukraine has significantly increased its renewable energy capacities, particularly solar power plants: last year alone, about one gigawatt of solar power was put into operation. This leads to a surplus of electricity during the day in spring and summer, causing the transmission system operator “Ukrenergo” to sometimes limit the generation of solar power plants.
However, in the evening hours, consumption sharply increases, while solar generation stops, which, combined with the repair of certain nuclear power blocks, creates a potential capacity deficit. Experts emphasize that while outages are not inevitable, the risks of their occurrence increase in the case of extreme heat and insufficient demand coverage through electricity imports.