The most difficult situation with energy supply is currently in Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy regions, which are regularly subjected to attacks due to their proximity to the front line or border. This was stated by Oleksandr Kharchenko, director of the Energy Research Center, during a briefing "The situation in the state's energy sector after the latest enemy attacks" on February 19, as reported by UNN.
Details
According to him, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions are under direct attacks due to their immediate proximity to the combat zone and the border, while Odesa region suffers from constant shelling due to the short distance for strikes.
Kharchenko explained that two key problems have arisen in these regions.
The first concerns damage to distribution networks: defenses are only beginning to be completed, and they have not yet been massively installed, so the networks remain vulnerable.
The second problem, according to him, is related to attacks on the heating system, particularly boiler houses, which can leave people without a source of heat.
The expert noted that a significant amount of equipment is needed for restoration, including medium-voltage transformers, including 110 kV, as well as other types of transformers, without which it is impossible to quickly restore distribution networks after damage.
At the same time, Kharchenko called the weather forecast optimistic: the expected positive temperatures in the next week and a half should partially reduce the criticality of the heat supply situation.
However, the current strikes demonstrate the need for more focused preparation for the next heating season, including strengthening the protection of heating systems and creating more attack-resistant solutions in both large and medium-sized cities.
The expert stressed: when a single large boiler house in a relatively small city is hit, it creates enormous problems.
Recall
Earlier, UNN wrote about what awaits small businesses in the summer due to energy shortages. Business investments in solar generation will partially mitigate the risks, but will not solve the problems for large consumers.