Kyiv has carried out 80% preparatory measures for the heating season, Mayor Vitali Klitschko has announced. The work covers projects under the Energy Resilience Plan, repairs and maintenance, as well as ensuring that services are ready to operate under conditions of regular enemy shelling. The city is also preparing contingency plans for heat supply, optimising communication channels and modernising the public warning system.
Briefly about the main points
- The city has announced that it has completed 80% of the planned measures ahead of winter.
- The district heating system is ready for the season at 90%.
- Kyiv is setting up a backup heating supply system in case of damage.
- The services have developed support for people with limited mobility and those requiring continuous medical care.
- More than 70% towns are already receiving detailed alerts.
Heat is stored as a backup in case the main system fails
Kyiv’s centralised heating system is 90% ready for winter. At the same time, the city is setting up a backup system to ensure that Kyiv residents are not left without heating should the main network be damaged.
One of the key areas of the Energy Sustainability Plan is engineering protection of critical infrastructure. As part of the plan, Kyiv also reported on the completion of distributed cogeneration facilities with a total capacity of 40 MW and a diesel power plant with a capacity of over 5 MW to provide backup power for critical infrastructure.
The Kyiv City Council has adopted a Comprehensive energy sustainability plan the capital on 10 March. The city authorities have identified priority measures to be implemented before the start of the new heating season.
The services practised providing assistance to people during crisis situations
A training exercise involving the emergency services and other municipal services was held in Kyiv. Procedures for providing assistance have been drawn up for people with reduced mobility and those requiring continuous medical care.
Also. The city is building up its food stocks in case there is a need to organise catering. At national level, the priorities for preparing for the season have been identified as backup power supplies, emergency equipment stocks, alternative heat sources and trained staff.
The alert system is being modernised and communication channels are being strengthened
Work is nearing completion on the modernisation of the air-raid warning system in the capital. Detailed alerts — audible sirens and messages specifying the nature of the threat — are already being received by over 70% of the city. By the end of the year, the authorities plan to upgrade a further 50 loudspeakers.
The city is also streamlining its channels of communication with residents and has developed a support system for telecoms operators. According to Klitschko, the process of preparing energy suppliers and municipal services for winter is taking place against the backdrop of the war.
