Power supply to industrial enterprises limited in practically all regions of Ukraine on Thursday evening - Energy Ministry

MOSCOW. April 19 (Interfax) - Power supply to industrial enterprises was limited in all regions of Ukraine but the Kiev-controlled part of the Kherson region between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on April 18 due to the significant damage to energy facilities and a temperature drop.

Additionally, power grid restrictions by the power transmission system operator led to scheduled blackouts in the Kharkov region and Krivoi Rog, Ukrainian media said on Friday, citing the Ukrainian Energy Ministry. The restrictions remain on April 19.

"Romania, Poland and Slovakia provided emergency assistance. The imported electricity accounted for about 3% of the daily consumption," the ministry said.

Power transmission system operators of the three countries also provided emergency assistance on Friday morning.

The interstate power transmission line of the Urkenergo power transmission system operator was briefly shut down in the Transcarpathian region over the past day for technical reasons. Its operation has resumed.

Technological disruptions shut down equipment at a power substation in the Khmelnitsky region, cutting power supply to about 16,000 households. The power supply has been restored.

The Energy Ministry is expecting electricity imports in the amount of 10,900 MW/h on Friday. No exports are planned.

About 2,700 households in the Dnepropetrovsk region were having a blackout on Friday morning, Ukrainian media said, citing Ukrenergo.

The power transmission system operator said that the shortage of electricity caused by the damage to power plants would persist on April 19.

"Capacity restrictions on businesses and industries are possible between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. They will not apply to critical infrastructure," Ukrenergo said.

Round-the-clock power supply restrictions continue for industrial enterprises in the Krivoi Rog district of the Dnepropetrovsk region, it said.

Power supply to households was limited in the Kharkov region, where about 203,000 clients are having a blackout, on Friday morning, Ukrenergo said.

Bad weather has caused a power outage in over 20 populated localities in the Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava and Sumy regions.

Power supply to 385 populated localities was cut for other reasons in the morning.

Ukrenergo reported starting maintenance of a heat and power plant unit and further emergency recovery of others.

"Scheduled repairs are underway at nuclear power plants. Solar plants in certain regions have slightly increased the output, while other regions have dense clouds," it said.

On April 19, electricity imports from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Moldova will total 10,900 MW/h, including 1,365MW during peak hours.