Ukrenergo expects limited electricity exports to resume within days

MOSCOW. May 25 (Interfax) - Ukrenergo expects electricity exports to Europe to resume within days, CEO Vladimir Kudritsky said.

"Perhaps we'll review the balance at the weekend or next week and limited exports might resume," Ukrainian media quoted him as saying live on TSN on Wednesday.

Kudritsky said Ukrenergo had halted exports altogether this week to make sure Ukrainian consumers had enough electricity.

"Given that we, first of all, need to provide electricity to our own consumers, and based on the fact that this week was expected to be somewhat cooler than last, we decided to limit exports in order to guarantee this for Ukrainians," he said.

Kudritsky said the export restrictions were provisional, an ad hoc decision, and had nothing in common with a decision enshrined by an Energy Ministry order in October last year following widespread damage to the energy system. He said exports were halted indefinitely at the time but gradually resumed in April 2023, to Moldova, Poland and Slovakia.

But there are no restrictions on electricity consumption due to shortages in the system. "We are not extending consumption limits to the regions, as was the case in winter, and we see no need to do so in the near future," Kudritsky said.

He said there had been some minor damage in the network, due to which consumers are not receiving electricity.

Kudritsky also said there had always been a need for savings and a rational approach to resources, and this should now be seen as a request to help the energy system to recover and balance.

"We've urged people to save electricity in the evening hours, because this means the load on the energy system is reduced during the more critical periods from 19 to 21 or 22 hours, when consumption peaks," he said.

Households help to balance the energy system by saving electricity during these hours. "We are monitoring the situation and balancing the energy system," Kudritsky said.

Ukrenergo has said any electricity shortage had been caused by extensive maintenance and repairs at power plants, both scheduled and due to the need to restore capacity following damage in preparation for the new heating season.

Electricity was last exported in limited volumes of 400 megawatt-hours to each of Moldova and Poland on May 22.

Ukraine exported 30,700 MWh of electricity from May 1-15, including 21.8 MWh to Moldova and 8.9 MWh to Poland.