Despite the fact that power outages caused by massive enemy attacks on energy facilities have stopped in Ukraine, the forecasts for the coming winter remain grim. The protection of such facilities is, of course, the prerogative of the state. At the same time, much also depends on how quickly local authorities respond to such challenges and mobilize efforts to ensure energy independence, both for critical infrastructure and for citizens' homes, UNN writes.
Experts point out that the situation with electricity will certainly depend on weather conditions and air defense coverage of key energy facilities. Although blackouts are likely to be unavoidable, there is reason to hope that they will be localized.
"Taking into account the tests that our power system has already passed in 2022-23 and now in the spring and early summer of 2024, and taking into account the fact that our partners have added air defense equipment, albeit very slowly, we have a cautiously optimistic forecast for the winter period. However, there will be blackouts without a doubt. If we compare consumption peaks, the winter one is always higher. Therefore, the power system will be in a deficit state, blackouts will be necessary", - such an assumption was made by Mykhailo Honchar, energy expert, president of the Center for Global Studies "Strategy XXI", in a comment to UNN.
At the same time, energy expert Gennadiy Ryabtsev is already indicating at what level of power shortage blackouts will be applied.
"The forecasts are quite definite: the shortage of 4-5 gigawatts of power means the existence and operation of stabilization shutdown schedules for three or four stages during the heating season, four stages when the temperature is low, two or three stages when the temperature is near zero," Hennadiy Ryabtsev told UNN in an exclusive commentary .
Consumers in each region that do not belong to critical infrastructure facilities are divided into six queues.
Ukrenergo's dispatch center determines how many queues to use in all regions simultaneously to compensate for the energy shortage in the system.
If the electricity supplier applies one round of outage schedules, this means four hours of restrictions per day, two rounds - up to eight hours of restrictions, three rounds - up to 12 hours, four rounds - more than 12 hours of restrictions.
Of course, the central government is doing everything in its power to ensure that Ukrainians do not have to sit without electricity for 12 hours in winter. However, a great deal of responsibility also falls on the shoulders of local governments.
And in this case, much depends on the choice of key areas, the allocation of existing financial resources and the attraction of new ones.
It is clear that such problems are easier to solve in regional centers with large budgets. However, even in cities with smaller populations, it is possible to find ways to ensure energy independence.
In particular, Brovary is quite effective in this area: both in terms of uninterrupted power supply to critical infrastructure facilities and to the homes of city residents.
In particular, in just four months, the City Multidisciplinary Hospital was equipped with a solar power plant.
The project was implemented with the support of the RePower Ukraine Charitable Foundation, international donors, and the Kyiv RMA. The new solar power plant will primarily meet the needs of the intensive care unit.
"Only four months have passed since the signing of the memorandum until today. I am grateful to the RePower Ukraine Foundation, which organized the project documentation and execution of works in such a short period of time. This station, although it is small, provides a rather important unit in the hospital: intensive care," Brovary Mayor Ihor Sapozhko told UNN.
Recently , a memorandum was signed on the installation of cogeneration units at five critical infrastructure facilities that will generate heat and electricity for municipal boiler houses.
The city does not forget about road safety: traffic lights in the city should gradually become completely independent of central power sources. Currently, they are being equipped with inverters and batteries. The works are primarily being carried out at traffic lights at the busiest intersections, where there are always a lot of people and a significant flow of cars.
Regarding the energy independence of people's apartments, the Brovary City Council constantly reminds us that since the end of 2022, the city has been running a compensation program for the purchase and installation of electric generators or other alternative sources of electricity, and almost two million hryvnias have already been allocated for its implementation.
In fact, this is the case when, perhaps without having exorbitant budgets, you can participate in raising funds from international partners, and conduct substantive work with residents of apartment buildings. And all this for the sake of one goal - to show the enemy that, despite its missiles and drones, Ukraine will have electricity.