Power supply shortage in Ukraine narrows, generation covers 80% of demand - Ukrenergo

MOSCOW. Feb 2 (Interfax) - A power supply shortage in Ukraine's national grid lessened on Thursday due to declining power consumption compared to the start of the week, although it still remains substantial enough, the national power grid operator Ukrenergo said on Thursday.

"The system's generating capacity is enough to cover about 80% of consumer demand," Ukrainian media quoted Ukrenergo as saying on its social account.

The power consumption limits set for all regional grid operators have been somewhat extended due to the narrowing shortage, it said.

Two power generating units at power plants have been taken out of service for emergency repairs, Ukrenergo said. However, the loss of generation was compensated for by reconnecting a power plant unit to the grid following repairs and increasing generation by hydropower plants.

Transmission restrictions have been in place only in the Odessa region, it said.

The repairs of transformers at two substations in the eastern and central parts of the country that were damaged last fall have been completed, it said.

"Preparations are underway for connecting them. This would make it possible to put into operation power plant units," it said.

The Energy Ministry said in a social media post that a power shortage expected at the consumption peak on Thursday evening shrank by another two percentage points to 19%, compared to 21% on Wednesday and 25% on Tuesday. The ministry attributed this to the completion of repairs at some generating units at thermal power plants and favorable weather conditions.

Due to a shortage of generating capacity, the largest shares of consumers cut off from power supply were in the Volyn, Ternopol, Kirovograd, and Chernovtsy regions. The situation in this respect somewhat improved on Thursday for the Sumy region, which was among the most troubled regions on Wednesday, and worsened for the Chernovtsy region, which the ministry did not list among such regions on Wednesday.

As reported with reference to grid operators, Ukrenergo extended daily power consumption limits within 0.5% on Thursday.