All of Ukraine’s thermal and hydroelectric plants were damaged by missiles fired by Russia and 40% of the high-voltage grid sustained various types of damage. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Facebook, underlining that priority criteria will be set for the supply of electricity, favoring hospitals and critical infrastructures. “Each of us – he said – must understand that we will go through this winter with significant restrictions on electricity consumption”.
The government, he explained, has given instructions to the Ministry of Energy to establish priorities for the electricity supply. The first priority is critical infrastructure and hospitals, the second is enterprises in the military and industrial complex, the third is factories producing critically important goods, and the fourth is housing.
With winter upon us and more than 1.5 million people without electricity, the Odessa government in particular has called on residents who relied solely on electricity to heat and power their homes to consider leaving the city. The city was left without electricity after Russia used Iranian-made drones to strike two major energy plants, and authorities said it could take months to repair the damage.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy yesterday spoke of more than 1.5 million people in the port city and the surrounding region left without electricity, describing the situation as very difficult.
“According to preliminary reconnaissance, it will take much longer to restore energy facilities in the Odessa region than in previous attacks,” the administration said.
