Ukrenergo tightens energy restrictions in Ukraine as demand from businesses increases

MOSCOW. Jan 9 (Interfax) - Power consumption in Ukraine increased as of 11:00 a.m. on January 9, amid a cold spell and the industrial and business sector's increased demand for electricity with the start of the new working week, Ukrainian media reported with reference to power grid operator Ukrenergo.

To maintain balance in the power grids, all Ukrainian regions have been made aware of daily consumption limits effective from 4:00 a.m. until midnight, which is five hours longer than the limits previously set for Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to midnight, and seven hours longer than on Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Ukrenergo said on Telegram.

Power consumption in excess of those limits might result in emergency outages, it said.

The Poltavaoblenergo power utility said on social media that Ukrenergo had adjusted the capacity limit on January 9 in the Poltava region from 11:00 to midnight to 463 MW, reducing it by almost 50 MW from the preliminary limit for this day of 512 MW. The operator urged the public to use household appliances, lighting and electric heating more sparingly.

Prikarpatyaoblenergo said Ukrenergo had lowered the daily consumption limit for it by 10%, from 312 MW to 283 MW, in connection with which shutdown schedules were being introduced from 11:00. The operator warned about the possibility of power outages during periods designated as "possible outages" in the schedule.

Zaporozhyeoblenergo has, due the temperature dropping to minus 10, reduced the period of shutdowns in the first half of the day on January 9 by an hour, from three to two hours.

Zhytomiroblenergo announced emergency shutdowns due to accidents in networks, the cause of which is being established.

Lvooblenergo introduced hourly shutdown schedules due to lower consumption limits, indicating that it had been possible not to cut off consumers over the weekend.

Zakarpattioblenergo, Sumyoblenergo, Rovnooblenergo, Vinnitsaoblenergo, Nikolayevoblenergo, as well as distribution system operators of the DTEK Group in the City of Kiev and in the Kiev, Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk regions all announced hourly schedules on Monday. DTEK Donetsk Grids announced emergency shutdowns.

Ternopoloblenergo warned about the possibility of disconnecting not only the main, but also additional queues of consumers, in the event of an increase in consumption or a decrease in permitted capacity.

The company said it remained difficult to get through the morning and evening consumption peaks, so deviations from the schedules were possible.