Ukraine restoring network infrastructure, bad weather causes damage to electrical grids in Chernovtsy region

MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax) - Ukraine is gradually restoring its network infrastructure.

The restoration of the damaged infrastructure is continuing. In particular, about 9,000 consumers were connected to power in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing the Energy Ministry's statement on social networks.

According to Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko, at present, generation with a reserve covers the necessary power capacities for the needs of electricity consumers all over the country.

In the meantime, Ukrainian media outlets also cited reports from the Ukrenergo state corporation that as of April 7, damage has been recorded in distribution networks of the Chernovtsy region due to bad weather.

"Although the situation in the energy system has stabilized, the reliability of supplies to consumers of the majority of regions of Ukraine has nevertheless been lowered due to damage at the key high-voltage substations," Ukrenergo said.

The company called for consuming electricity sparingly and, if possible, evenly distributing the use of powerful devices throughout the day.

"Ukrenergo's repair teams carry out repairs and restoration at facilities of the high-voltage network every day to restore the reliability of energy supply. Nevertheless, damage done to the energy infrastructure is large-scale, complex and time-consuming," Ukrenergo said.

Cherkassy Mayor Anatoly Bondarenko, for his part, said that an accident had occurred at the city's central heating and power plant on Friday, April 7.

"The director of the Cherkassy Central Heating and Power Plant called me and told me that an accident had occurred at the plant's network inside the station. This is why heat and hot water supply is effectively halted now," Ukrainian media outlets quoted him as saying in his statement on social networks.

Bondarenko said that heat and hot water supply in the city is effectively halted following the incident at the power plant and called on residents to treat this situation with understanding.