Hourly power supply schedules may be reinstated in Kiev, Kiev and Odessa regions on Jan 19

MOSCOW. Jan 19 (Interfax) - Even though the Ukrenergo power grid operator has reduced the daytime power supply limits for January 19 by approximately 1.5%-1.6%, grid operators and the Yasno electricity supplying company expect hourly power supply schedules to be reinstated in Kiev and the Kiev and Odessa regions.

The daytime power supply limit introduced by Ukrenergo in Kiev for January 19 stands at 938 MW, whereas the limit for January 18 was 952 MW (-1.5%), Ukrainian media said, citing Yasno company head Sergei Kovalenko.

However, Kiev, which saw emergency blackouts on Wednesday, is now close to a return to stabilizing power cuts, Kovalenko said.

Meanwhile, DTEK, whose distribution system operators work in Kiev, the Kiev, Odessa, Donetsk and Dnepropetrovsk regions, said on social media that it confirms the figures given by Kovalenko, adding that the capital will receive 593 MW of electricity during the night.

In the Kiev region, where emergency blackouts are also continuing, the power consumption limit for the day is 693 MW and the nighttime limit is 703 MW, DTEK said.

"Such limits make it possible to reinstate stabilizing power cuts on January 19," it said.

The power supply limit in the Odessa region is 371 MW from midnight to 7:00 a.m., which is 30% of the region's power needs, and a quarter of this electricity is being supplied to critical infrastructure. However, emergency blackouts will continue in the Odessa region until 7:00 a.m. on January 19, DTEK said, adding that hourly schedules will be introduced for the rest of the day, during which the power supply limit stands at 650 MW.

Ukrenergo said on Wednesday that the functioning power generating facilities are not currently covering a quarter of Ukraine's electricity needs.

Warmer air temperatures have contributed to a decrease in power consumption, but the considerable capacity shortage persists in the energy system, especially during peak hours, the company said in its daily update on social media.