Due to regular attacks on energy infrastructure, generators have become an important source of backup power for apartment buildings, businesses, and social infrastructure facilities. At the same time, installing them in courtyards, near entrances, and under residents’ windows may create fire, sanitary, and technological hazards. A journalist from UNN spoke with Ivan Perehinets, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Academician, Vice President of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine, and Director of the Scientific and Technical Center of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine, about where such equipment may be placed, what requirements must be met, who oversees its operation, and whether an owner can be required to dismantle a generator.
Where generators may be installed and what distance must be maintained
According to the expert, installing a generator near a residential building requires compliance with a number of fire, electrical, sanitary, and environmental safety requirements. In particular, the provisions of the Code of Civil Protection of Ukraine, the Fire Safety Rules in Ukraine, state building codes, and the Rules for the Installation of Electrical Installations must be taken into account. Particular attention should be paid to the distance from windows, doors, ventilation openings, and other facilities.
Generators may be placed in open areas provided that fire, electrical, sanitary, and environmental safety requirements are met. The main documents are: the Code of Civil Protection of Ukraine; the Fire Safety Rules in Ukraine (Ministry of Internal Affairs Order No. 1417 dated 30.12.2014, as amended); DBN B.2.2-12:2019; DBN V.1.1-7:2016; sanitary noise standards; and the Rules for the Installation of Electrical Installations. For portable generators, the State Emergency Service recommends a distance of at least 6 m from windows, doors, and buildings. At the same time, this is not a universal mandatory fire-safety distance for all installations
At the same time, specific requirements depend on the characteristics of the equipment, including its capacity and fuel tank volume.
| Power | Tank (category) | To a solid non-combustible wall | To other walls |
| Up to 1 kW | 5 l | 1 m | 4 m |
| 1.01–3 kW | 15 l | 1 m | 6 m |
| 3.01–6 kW | 20 l | 4 m | 8 m |
| 6.01–10 kW | 50 l | 6 m | 10 m |
| 10.01–20 kW | 100 l | 10 m | 12 m |
Ivan Perehinets also explained that the design of adjacent walls, the manufacturer’s instructions, and the placement conditions are also important. In addition, exhaust-gas removal must be properly arranged so that the gases do not enter residential premises.
Depending primarily on the tank volume or the type of installation, the requirements may change. Stationary diesel power plants require separate technical and, where necessary, design justification. Exhaust must not be directed toward windows, doors, ventilation grilles, or air intakes. Carbon monoxide (CO) has no color or odor and can cause fatal poisoning
Can generators be installed in the courtyards of apartment buildings?
A separate issue is the placement of generators in adjacent residential areas, because the mere fact that equipment is installed in a courtyard does not mean that its owner may occupy any part of the area at their own discretion. The rights of co-owners, landscaping rules, and requirements for safely equipping the site must be taken into account.
There is no general absolute ban on generators in the courtyards of apartment buildings. However, they may not be placed arbitrarily. The equipment must not block evacuation exits, passageways, fire lanes, access to hydrants, or other fire-protection infrastructure. Using portable generators in residential premises, basements, on balconies, and in other unsuitable enclosed spaces is dangerous because of exhaust gases and the risk of fire
Among the main risks associated with operating such equipment, Ivan Perehinets identifies fuel ignition, carbon monoxide entering apartments, as well as noise and vibration. Situations in which a generator is located near windows or ventilation systems may be particularly dangerous. In addition, the rights of residents to the adjacent residential area must be taken into account when installing it.
Expert assessment: installing a generator directly under windows or near the entrance to a building is technically ill-advised and potentially dangerous. It should be avoided even when the generator is temporarily providing critically necessary power supply, the expert emphasizes.
What fines are предусмотрены for violating operating rules
Violating safety requirements during the installation and use of generators may constitute grounds for administrative liability. At the same time, the legislation does not provide for a separate universal fine specifically for the improper placement of a generator; the type of penalty depends on the nature of the violation and the specific legal provision.
There is no single universal fine "for a generator." Liability is determined by the specific elements of the offense: violation of fire safety requirements, sanitary standards, noise regulations, благоустройство rules, or electrical safety requirements
Possible grounds for holding someone liable include violating fire safety rules and failing to comply with noise-level requirements. Such cases may be considered under the relevant articles of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. If the violation resulted in serious consequences, criminal liability may also be involved, provided all the elements stipulated by law are present.
Expert assessment: installing a generator directly under windows or near the entrance to a building is technically ill-advised and potentially dangerous. It should be avoided even when the generator is temporarily providing critically necessary power supply
What fines are предусмотрены for violating operating rules
Violating safety requirements during the installation and use of generators may constitute grounds for administrative liability. At the same time, the legislation does not provide for a separate universal fine specifically for the improper placement of a generator; the type of penalty depends on the nature of the violation and the specific legal provision.
There is no single universal fine "for a generator." Liability is determined by the specific elements of the offense: violation of fire safety requirements, sanitary standards, noise regulations, благоустройство rules, or electrical safety requirements
Possible grounds for holding someone liable include violating fire safety rules and failing to comply with noise-level requirements. Such cases may be considered under the relevant articles of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. If the violation resulted in serious consequences, criminal liability may also be involved, provided all the elements stipulated by law are present.
| Violation | Legal basis | Amounts provided for verification |
| Fire Safety | Article 175 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses | Individuals: UAH 1,700–3,400; officials and individual entrepreneurs: UAH 3,400–5,100 |
| Noise Regulations | Article 182 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses | Individuals: UAH 85–255; officials and individual entrepreneurs: UAH 255–510 |
| Repeated Noise Violation | Article 182 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses | Individuals: UAH 255–510; officials and individual entrepreneurs: UAH 850–2,550 |
| Sanitary Standards | Article 42 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses | Individuals: UAH 17–204; officials: UAH 102–425 |
Important: the amounts provided require final verification against the current versions of the articles of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses as of 11/11/2026.
Who oversees the installation of generators and where residents can file complaints
Various state bodies oversee compliance with requirements during the operation of generators within the scope of their respective powers.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine exercises state supervision in the areas of fire and technological safety within the powers established by law. If there is a risk of fire, violations involving fuel storage, blocked evacuation routes, or a dangerously positioned generator, people should contact the relevant territorial body of the State Emergency Service. The National Police responds to offenses, including those involving compliance with noise regulations, within its competence. Local self-government bodies and municipal inspectorates may oversee благоустройство rules and the use of municipal property
In addition, the expert explains that residents who discover a potentially dangerous placement of a generator should first document the situation with photographs or video. They may then contact the equipment owner, the condominium association, or the building manager, and, if there is no response, submit a written complaint to the relevant authority. If there is an immediate threat to life, they must call the emergency services without delay.
Can the owner be required to dismantle the generator
If an inspection reveals violations of mandatory safety requirements, the owner may, of course, be required to remedy the deficiencies or stop operating the equipment. However, each case requires a separate assessment.
Yes, in cases provided for by law, operation may be suspended, and the owner may be required to remedy the violations or remove the equipment. At the same time, suspending operation, remedying a violation, and compulsory dismantling are different legal procedures that cannot be equated. Grounds for action may include established violations of mandatory fire-safety requirements, unsafe storage of fuel, obstruction of evacuation routes, the threat of poisoning from exhaust fumes, excessive noise levels, unlawful use of the territory, violations of co-owners’ rights, or unsafe electrical connections
As the expert notes, suspending the operation of equipment requires compliance with the procedure established by law.
Article 68 of the Code of Civil Protection of Ukraine provides for response measures in the field of fire and technological safety. In cases specified by law, the complete or partial suspension of equipment operation is carried out by court decision. Compulsory dismantling also requires a specific legal basis and a proper procedure. Failure to comply with a recommended distance, in itself, is not equivalent to a proven violation of a mandatory standard
Safety must remain a priority
Generators have become an important element of energy independence during the war; however, their operation requires a responsible approach, because improper placement of the equipment can indeed pose a threat to the lives not only of its owners but also of the residents of the entire building. Therefore, when choosing an installation site, it is necessary to take all possible risks into account, rather than merely the technical possibility of connecting the generator.
Amid the war and systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, electric generators have become an important element in ensuring the functioning of residential buildings, businesses, and social infrastructure facilities. However, a generator is not simply a household electrical appliance, but an autonomous power installation that produces exhaust fumes and heat, generates noise, and uses flammable fuel. Its placement must be considered comprehensively—from the perspectives of fire, technological, sanitary, and electrical safety. The recommended distance of 6 meters is an important guideline for portable generators, but it does not replace specific requirements for particular installations. Installation directly beneath windows, near ventilation systems, and by evacuation exits is especially dangerous
As Ivan Perehinets emphasizes, energy independence must not be achieved at the cost of people’s health and safety.