Ukrenergo again has to take Europe's emergency aid to cover daily peak electricity consumption

MOSCOW. July 28 (Interfax) - The Ukrenergo national energy corporation received emergency aid from Romania in the amount of 400 MW every hour from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday to cover the energy consumption, therefore, the amount of electricity supplied as emergency aid reached 1,200 MW/h, Ukrainian media outlets said with a reference to Ukrenergo's website on Friday.

The peak consumption on Thursday was the same as on the day before and again happened at 3 p.m., the system operator said. But solar power stations were generating less electricity because of the cloudy weather during daytime when the consumption level was the highest. No electricity was imported during these hours.

All available capacities were engaged to compensate for the decrease of generation by solar power stations, therefore, emergency aid had to be requested, Ukrenergo said.

Emergency aid is the last instrument of overcoming the power shortage in the energy system, and the cost of such electricity is high, it said.

Ukrenergo once again urged for careful consumption of electricity to help the energy system amid the large-scale repair campaign and the shortage of generation capacities by such measures as cooling a room down not lower than to 23 degrees Celsius, switching powerful electrical appliances off or using them by turns, moving the use of electrical appliances to mornings or nighttime, turning the light off in empty rooms.

At the same time, Ukrenergo said that it conducted repairs at and brought back into operations two main lines damaged in the eastern Ukraine several days ago. It increased the reliability of power distribution of the region's power stations and electricity supply to consumers, it said.

As reported, in spring and summer months of 2023, Ukraine has already received emergency aid from Europe several times to maintain the balance between generation and consumption of electricity, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on June 7 from Romania's energy system, on June 8 from Romania and Poland in the total amount of 1,200 MW/h, on June 12 from Romania and Poland in the total amount of 1,600 MW/h, on June 28 from Romania and Poland in the total amount of 1,200 MW/h, and on May 27 from Romania's energy system.

At the same time, on June 11, Ukraine engaged emergency aid at Poland's request, receiving surplus electricity in the amount of 1,800 MW/h from the Polish energy system during daytime.

According to the Energy Ministry's daily update on social networks on July 28, generated electricity is enough to cover consumption.