Subscribe for notification
Categories: Latest

No Air Conditioning For Ukraine Officials After Power Supply Hit By Russia

Ukraine’s government ordered all ministries and regional authorities on Friday to stop using air conditioning and switch off external lighting as Russian bombardments forced long blackouts across the country.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said reducing power consumption and saving as much electricity as possible was vital following Russian strikes on the Ukrainian power system.

“Due to the Russian attacks, we have a significant deficit in the energy system. To improve the situation, we restore and expand generation and simultaneously reduce consumption,” Shmyhal told a government meeting.

“We approved the government’s order to reduce electricity consumption by all state authorities. Ministries, central institutions and regional administrations should stop using air conditioners and external lighting of buildings and nearby areas.”

Temperatures in Ukraine are hovering at about 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) and could rise to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in July and August.

Shmyhal said the government recommended similar steps for law enforcement institutions and judicial authorities.

He urged businesses to follow and limit the use of air conditioning and other energy-intensive equipment as much as possible.

ROLLING BLACKOUTS

Over the past two months, Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has intensified attacks on the Ukrainian energy system, knocking out the bulk of thermal and hydropower generation capacity. Shmyhal said Ukraine has lost about 9 GW of energy-generating capacity since March.

Following the latest attack earlier this month, the sixth since March, the government imposed long electricity cuts across the country. Some consumers in Kyiv said they had no electricity for up to 12 hours a day.

Rolling blackouts are a reminder of the first winter of the war when Russian bombardments targeted the distribution grid, resulting in long hours without electricity and sometimes water and heating during the critical cold months.

Russian forces now focus mostly on generation which is more difficult and takes longer to repair.

Officials and industry are carrying out round-the-clock repairs of the energy system to prepare for the critical cold months, Shmyhal said. Kyiv is also trying to implement reforms to enable a less centralised energy system.

The government has about 500 million euros ($540 million) in aid from its Western partners in a fund set up for equipment purchases, Shmyhal said.

Officials are also in talks with Ukraine’s Western neighbours to increase electricity imports to over 2 GW from 1.7 GW and nearly double consumer electricity tariffs to fund the repairs.

Recent Posts

‘Sunny Leone’ Got Rs 1000/Month Under Chhattisgarh Scheme For Married Women

In a shocking case of fraud in a Chhattisgarh government scheme for married women, a…

2 hours ago

2 Toddlers Among 3 Dead After Truck Runs Over People On Pune Footpath

Three people, including two children, died on Monday when a dumper truck run over people…

2 hours ago

Donald Trump Appoints Indian-American, Elon Musk Aide As AI Advisor

US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Indian American entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author Sriram…

2 hours ago

Brazil Businessman, 9 Members Of His Family Killed In Plane Crash

Ten members of a family died early Sunday when their small plane slammed into a…

2 hours ago

“Demonic” US Man Beheads 1-Year-Old Son, Injures Wife, Mother-In-Law

A man in the US has been arrested for allegedly beheading his one-year-old son with…

2 hours ago

Can Elon Musk Become US President? Donald Trump Says…

Could Elon Musk, who holds major sway in the incoming Trump administration, one day become…

4 hours ago