Ukraine continues to receive emergency assistance from Europe, 400 populated localities having blackout

MOSCOW. April 25 (Interfax) - The dispatch center of the Ukrenergo electricity transmission system operator has been using emergency assistance from Europe most of the day on April 25, for the fourth day in a row, Ukrainian media said, citing the operator.

"However, the scope of such assistance is a bit smaller today than yesterday, thanks to the larger generation by solar power plants," Ukrenergo said.

The sunny weather is good for renewable energy plants, which increase their output, Ukrenergo said, adding that a thermal power plant unit was running again after breakdown maintenance.

A warmer weather has cut power consumption. For example, 10% less power was consumed at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, versus the same time on Wednesday.

"At the same time, a shortage of electricity persists in the power grid for the most of the day. Damaged power plants are unable to generate enough electricity to meet the demand," Ukrenergo said.

Power supply restrictions are in effect in the Kharkov region on Thursday. About 205,000 households were having a blackout there in the morning. There are also round-the-clock restrictions on power supply to industrial enterprises in the Krivoi Rog district of the Dnepropetrovsk region.

Power consumption decreased between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on April 24 owing to the restrictions on business and industries.

According to Ukrenergo, electricity is imported practically throughout the day, with the exception of night hours, on April 25 from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Moldova in the total amount of 12,786MW/h with the maximum supply of 1,675MW in certain hours. No exports are planned.

The technical capacity for European electricity exports to Ukraine and Moldova amounts to 1,700 MW/h since December 1.

As noted, bad weather cut power supply to 2,800 clients in the Kiev region on Thursday morning. Power supply to 399 populated localities, including those in the Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkov and Chernigov regions and the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk region, was cut for other reasons.