Zelensky Tasks Energy Ministry With Stabilizing Power After Sweeping Blackout

President Volodymyr Zelensky has tasked his government with stabilizing the energy sector, following a widespread electrical outage across multiple regions of Ukraine.

According to Ukrinform, “Zelensky said on Facebook that he had heard reports from Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal on the emergency situation in the energy system due to technical reasons on the lines between the energy systems of Ukraine and Moldova.” 

“All necessary responses at the level of the Ukrainian power grid are in place, and restoration work is underway. The task is to stabilize the situation in the near future,” Zelensky said.

According to Denys Shmyhal, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, a technical malfunction occurred between the power grids of Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, resulting in a simultaneous power outage.

Ukraine’s power system is gradually being restored following a systemic accident on Saturday morning, the Ministry of Energy reported, according to Interfax-Ukraine.

“Right now, energy workers are working to restore the electricity supply. The top priority is the restoration of critical infrastructure,” the ministry stated in its Telegram channel.

According to the Ministry of Energy, specialists forecast that electricity supply will return within the next few hours.

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“In different regions, the timeframe for power restoration may vary. The gradual loading of nuclear power plant units to their nominal capacity requires time,” the ministry explained.

It added that, in order to preserve the integrity of the power system, emergency outages have been applied in several regions.

“The capacity deficit remains very high, so emergency shutdowns are necessary to prevent equipment damage,” the Ministry of Energy said.

Earlier on Telegram, Shmyhal posted:

“Today at 10:42 a.m., a technical failure occurred, causing a simultaneous shutdown of the 400 kV line between the power systems of Romania and Moldova and the 750 kV line between the western and central parts of Ukraine. This caused a cascade shutdown in Ukraine’s power grid and triggered automatic protection mechanisms at substations. Nuclear power plant units were unloaded,” Shmyhal said.

According to the Ministry of Energy, “special emergency outage schedules were applied by dispatchers in the city of Kyiv, and in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv regions.”  Ukrinform reported that emergency power cuts were also implemented in the Odesa region.

In Kyiv, due to the reduced voltage power supply, train service and escalator operation in the metro were temporarily suspended.

The Ministry of Energy said that, according to specialist forecasts, power supply to the regions where emergency blackouts have been implemented will be restored within the next 2-3 hours.

Kyiv Post journalists have reported partial power restorations in the capital region within an hour of losing electrical power. Additionally, the metro service is reported to be operational.