Electricity shortage in Ukraine shrinks but still remains significant in evening and at night - Ukrenergo

MOSCOW. May 20 (Interfax) - Electricity shortage in the Ukrainian energy system has somewhat lessened owing to warmer and sunnier weather, although it is still considerable during evening and night hours, and therefore, hour-by-hour outage schedules could possibly be applied both to businesses and households in all parts of Ukraine from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the national power grid operator Ukrenergo's post on its social account.

Outage schedules can be applied if customers exceed consumption limits, which Ukrenergo's dispatch center has set for each regional energy operator, it said.

It again urged customers to use electricity economically at any time.

The Energy Ministry said on its social account that Ukraine received emergency power supplies from Romania, Slovakia, and Poland early on Monday.

Ukrenergo said Ukraine had previously received emergency power supplies from Romania, Poland, and Slovakia from 0:01 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. In addition, the Ukrainian energy system absorbed surplus electricity from Poland at a request from its power grid operator from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Ukraine also increased commercial electricity imports by 50% to 19,499 MWh on Monday compared to Sunday. The country will be importing electricity from Romania, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Moldova.

A total of 407 communities had no electricity on Monday morning, it said.