In Ukraine, emergency power outages were implemented in four regions due to an attack by the Russian Federation

In Ukraine, emergency power outages were implemented in four regions due to an attack by the Russian Federation

As of October 20, Ukrainian energy workers have restored electricity supply for more than 78,000 consumers who were affected by attacks on the infrastructure. However, due to new shellings, parts of Sumy, Chernihiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhya regions remain without power.

This was reported by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine. On October 19, drone attacks led to damage to the energy infrastructure in Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

To prevent overloading of the system, the company "Ukrenergo" was forced to implement emergency shutdowns. However, by 12:55 p.m. in Chernihiv region and by 8:47 p.m. in Sumy region, electricity supply was restored for all consumers. Despite these efforts, the morning of October 20 brought new attacks that again led to power outages in the Sumy region.

Preparation for the heating season (HS) is being carried out under conditions of serious damage to key energy infrastructure facilities. Daily shellings cause significant damage, but overall the energy system remains balanced, allowing the country to avoid massive prolonged outages. To maintain system stability, "Ukrenergo" urges consumers to use electricity sparingly, especially in the evening period from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., when the load on the network is greatest.

Consequences of the Shelling

Attacks on energy infrastructure on October 19-20 caused large-scale power outages in several regions of Ukraine. Particularly affected were consumers in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions.

In Chernihiv region, shelling damaged power lines, leaving about 350 subscribers without electricity. In Sumy region, due to drone attacks during an air raid alert, substations and a significant number of residential consumers were de-energized. On the morning of October 20, outages were again recorded due to strikes on energy facilities.

At the same time, other regions of Ukraine also faced problems. In Lviv region, due to a fire on the territory of a mine, 32 workers were evacuated, but there were no casualties. In Donetsk region, due to technological disruptions at a mine, a power outage occurred, but all 20 workers were successfully evacuated.

During the past day, energy workers managed to restore electricity supply for 78,165 consumers who were left without power due to hostilities and technical disruptions. However, as of the morning of October 20, 563 settlements remain partially or fully de-energized due to ongoing hostilities and damage to energy facilities.

To stabilize the energy system on October 20, it is planned to import electricity from Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Moldova with a total volume of 5000 MWh with a capacity of 1290 MW. This import is an important component for covering the deficit in the energy system and ensuring stable electricity supply.

On the morning of October 20, Russian forces carried out another strike on an energy facility in Sumy region, leaving more than 100 settlements without electricity. According to "Sumyoblenergo," over 37,000 consumers in 104 settlements were de-energized in the Romny area. Over 14,000 consumers remain without power in the border areas of the region.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its report on Ukraine predicts a significant electricity shortage in winter at the level of 3-4 GW. This is due to ongoing missile attacks that lead to damage to energy facilities.

The Ukrainian authorities have an ambitious plan to reduce the shortage by constructing additional generating capacities of 1 GW and increasing electricity imports from the European Union to 3 GW. This will partially cover the deficit, but risks remain high due to enemy shelling.