Electricity consumption in Ukraine may rise at beginning of week, but there's no shortage - Ukrenergo

MOSCOW. Jan 29 (Interfax) - Ukrenergo expects electricity consumption in Ukraine to go up at the beginning of this week, but does not anticipate any shortage in the energy system, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing information circulated by the power grid operator on social media.

Electricity consumption is expected to increase on Monday and Tuesday due to a drop in air temperatures and the start of the workweek following the traditional decline over the weekend, it said.

Electricity consumption at 9:00 a.m. on Monday was at the same level as it was at 9:00 a.m. on the previous workday, January 26. Meanwhile, the general level of electricity consumption remains high, prompting Ukrenergo to again call on the population to use the resource sparingly.

Two units at thermal power plants were shut down for emergency repairs over the past day, but one of them has already been put back into operations, Ukrenergo said. Two more power units are expected to be shut down on Monday.

Media outlets said, citing the Ukrainian Energy Ministry, that there are three backup power units and one thermal generation facilities that can be connected to the grid if need be.

Ukraine is importing 3,451 MWh of electricity from Slovakia, Romania and Moldova in the morning and in the evening on Monday, which is nearly 14% less than on Sunday. Electricity exports from Ukraine are currently absent.

A total of 346 populated localities across Ukraine remained without electricity on Monday morning for various reasons.