All of Kyiv’s main combined heat and power stations have been destroyed or severely damaged as a result of Russian attacks. According to energy expert Stanislav Ignatyev, the Darnytsia CHP-4 has been virtually destroyed, whilst CHP-5 and CHP-6 have sustained significant damage. Due to the loss of its own generating capacity, the capital is becoming increasingly dependent on electricity supplies from other regions of Ukraine. Against the backdrop of repeated strikes on the energy infrastructure, this complicates the provision of a stable electricity supply and increases the risk of further power cuts.
Briefly about the main points
- Energy expert Stanislav Ignatyev has stated that Kyiv’s main power generation facilities have sustained critical damage.
- According to his assessment, the Darnytsia CHPP-4 has been virtually destroyed, whilst CHPP-5 and CHPP-6 have been seriously damaged.
- The capital is heavily reliant on the electricity it receives from Ukraine’s integrated power system.
- Russian strikes on high-voltage power lines are hampering the transmission of electricity to Kyiv.
The Darnytsia CHPP-4 has been virtually destroyed, whilst CHPP-5 and CHPP-6 have been damaged
Energy expert, professor at Poltava Polytechnic University Stanislav Ignatiev stated that the capital’s major power generation facilities were in a critical condition following systematic Russian shelling.
In his view, The Darnytsia CHPP-4 has effectively lost the ability to operate at full capacity. Two other large combined heat and power stations in Kyiv — CHPS-5 and CHPS-6 — also sustained significant damage. It is these plants that play a vital role in the generation of electricity and heat for the capital.
The Darnytsia Combined Heat and Power Station supplies heat to a significant proportion of the housing stock on the left bank of Kyiv. CHPS-5 and CHPS-6 are also key components of the city’s district heating system.
Ignatyev had previously pointed out that Russian troops had once again are attacking facilities that have already been damaged following restoration work. This makes it difficult to return the equipment to service.
Why does Kyiv rely on electricity from other regions?
Following extensive damage to its combined heat and power stations, the capital relies heavily on electricity supplied from Ukraine’s integrated power system. According to Ignatyev, nuclear power generation, in particular the Rivne Nuclear Power Station, plays an important role in Kyiv’s electricity supply.
An expert estimated the share of such supply at approximately 80%. However, there is no independent confirmation of this figure, and the actual distribution of electricity between sources may vary depending on the power system’s operating mode.
The main problem lies not only in the loss of domestic power generation. Damage to high-voltage networks limits the ability to transmit electricity between regions. Consequently, even if power stations are generating sufficient electricity, consumers may still be left without power.
Russia is attempting to cut Kyiv off from the power grid
A similar assessment of the situation was previously put forward by the director of energy programmes at the Razumkov Centre Vladimir Omelchenko. According to him, Russian troops are systematically attacking both power generation facilities and the electricity transmission infrastructure.
The expert believes that the aim of such strikes is to turn Kyiv into a sort of energy island, by limiting the supply of electricity from other regions. Omelchenko emphasised that there may not have been an overall power shortage in the Ukrainian power system at the start of October. The problem arises primarily due to damage to the grid and the inability to deliver the necessary volumes of electricity to consumers. This information is also confirmed by DTEK.
The company explained that Russian strikes had damaged power equipment and high-voltage networks, as a result of which the power system had temporarily lost some of its capacity to transmit electricity. This is why dispatchers are forced to implement emergency power cuts to prevent the grids from becoming overloaded.
Emergency power cuts were reintroduced in Kyiv on 9 October
Against the backdrop of fresh Russian attacks, the electricity supply situation in the capital remains unstable. On the morning of 9 October, DTEK reported that the introduction of emergency power cuts on the right bank of Kyiv.
Similar restrictions have been imposed in the Bucha and Vyshhorod districts of the Kyiv region.
During emergency power cuts, the hourly schedules do not apply. The time taken to restore the power supply depends on whether the networks can be stabilised. Power supply issues also affect other aspects of the city’s infrastructure, including the water supply and electric transport.
