Electric transport service suspended, power supply to enterprises limited in Odessa, 200,000 clients without power in Kharkov

MOSCOW. March 25 (Interfax) - Electric transport service has been suspended and power supply to enterprises has been limited in Odessa on Monday to reduce the strain on the power grid, Ukrainian media said, citing a DTEK statement on a social network.

The company reported damage to a high-voltage facility of the Ukrenergo electricity transmission system operator, which caused a blackout in Odessa's Peresyp district.

Power supply to critical infrastructure has been restored, DTEK said.

"The situation remains complicated nonetheless. Emergency power outages continue in Odessa and the Odessa region," it said.

For its part, Ukrenergo confirmed on Monday morning it was forced to increase the periods of limited power consumption because of the damage done to equipment in Odessa and the Odessa region.

"This needs to be done to prevent the remaining equipment from being overwhelmed and additional technological damage," it said.

Meanwhile the Kharkov region has enforced and adjusted the schedule of hourly power outages, head of the regional military administration Oleg Sinegubov said.

"A schedule of hourly power outages is in effect for Kharkov and certain communities in the region. The schedules are being adjusted," media quoted him as saying on a social network.

There is still no power supply to almost 200,000 clients in Kharkov, Sinegubov said. Electricians keep working to resume power supply.