Ukrenergo records electricity consumption growth, additional strain in energy system due to cold snap

MOSCOW. Dec 22 (Interfax) - A cold snap has resulted in an increase in electricity consumption after its daily maximum was recorded yesterday and is now 1% higher than on December 20, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing the Ukrenergo national power company.

"The winter is continuing, and a frost - a light one, but a frost nonetheless - is replacing the temporary warming. The energy system is already experiencing an additional strain due to the consumption growth. Please, consider using electricity sparingly," the system operator said on its Telegram channel.

At the same time, Ukrenergo pointed out that two power units at thermal power plants are operating again after the completed repair, and in general, electricity generated by power plants of all kinds is enough to meet the needs of all legal entities and household consumers.

However, import of electricity has already increased by 2.1 times in comparison with yesterday's data, reaching 14,011 MWh, and it is the largest daily amount so far in December, Ukrenergo said.

Electricity has not been exported from Ukraine for a few weeks now.

According to Ukrenergo, 415 populated localities remain without electricity.

It was reported earlier with a reference to the Ukrainian Energy Ministry that nearly 400 populated localities, the majority of which, 271, were in Zakarpatye region, were left without electricity due to bad weather in the morning of December 22.

Energoatom CEO Pyotr Kotin said on Thursday evening that the balanced power grid enables switching off one of the nine operating power units of the nuclear power plants to conduct certain work in order to increase its capacity.