Ukrainian Energy Ministry reports power supply problems due to bad weather

MOSCOW. April 16 (Interfax) - A thunderstorm has disabled an overhead power line in the part of the Donetsk region under Kiev's control, which cut power supply to local customers, including a mine, where 135 workers had to be taken to the surface.

Adverse weather also disabled a high-voltage power transmission line in the Dnepropetrovsk region on Monday evening, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the Energy Ministry on Tuesday. Engineers have now managed to repair the line.

"A thunderstorm and squally wind disabled equipment at a high-voltage substation in Krivoi Rog, cutting power supply to 145,000 households and industrial customers and to some urban infrastructure elements. Electricity was returned to the customers by the evening," it said.

Equipment was also disabled at a high-voltage substation in the city of Dnepr, which cut power supply to households. Engineers managed to resume power supply in half an hour, it said.

The national power grid operator had to apply outage schedules in the Kharkov region due to limited capacity of its transmission lines in the area. The restrictions have also been in effect on Tuesday.

During power consumption peak hours on Monday evening, Ukraine received emergency electricity supplies from Romania and Poland.