Kiev acknowledges problems in power system but insists that it is operating steadily

MOSCOW. March 29 (Interfax) - Power infrastructure has been damaged in Ukraine's Dnepropetrovsk, Vinnitsa, Ivano-Frankovsk, Lvov, Cherkassy, and Chernovtsy regions, Ukrainian media reported with reference to Prime Minister Denis Shmygal's social network post on Friday.

"There have been emergency outages in some regions," he said.

In the Kirovograd region, some power substations were cut off from the grid, media reported citing the Energy Ministry.

According to the national power grid operator Ukrenergo, a number of thermal and hydropower plants were damaged in central and western parts of Ukraine and hour-by-hour outage schedules were applied in the Kharkov region.

At the same time, the national power grid is operating steadily and no electricity shortage is expected, it said.

"A thunderstorm passing over Ukraine facilitates the operation of wind farms," it said.

Three thermal power plants have been activated, it said.

On March 28, Ukrainian solar power plants and wind farms generated surplus electricity.

"To maintain balance between generation and consumption and ensure the energy system's operational security, in reply to Ukrenergo's request, Poland's PSE power grid operator provided emergency assistance from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. by buying 1,600 MW/h of Ukrainian surplus electricity," it said.

Strong wind and rain have caused considerable damage to some regional power grids, cutting power supply to over 200 communities in the Zakarpatye, Lvov, Ivano-Frankovsk, Khmelnitsky, and Chernovtsy regions as of Friday morning, it said.

Another 374 communities had no electricity for other reasons, Ukrenergo said.

On March 29, Ukraine planned to import 11,596 MW/h of electricity from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Moldova, its capacity reaching 1,520 MW during certain hours.

Ukraine was to export a total of 873 MW/h of electricity, its capacity reaching 127 MW, when electricity consumption is the lowest at nighttime and when renewable power plants operate at maximum capacity in the daytime.