Head of DTEK: If there is a complete blackout in Kyiv, it will not last long

Despite Russian attacks on energy infrastructure facilities, a total power outage is not expected in Ukraine.

This was announced by the executive director of DTEK, Dmytro Sakharuk.

"Blackout is a dream of the occupiers, which they have been trying to realize since the beginning of October. But this dream will never come true," he emphasized.

The official explained that the effectiveness of Ukraineʼs air defense and the ability to counter Russian missile attacks is increasing, and energy workers are promptly restoring damaged facilities.

"Our air defense is getting stronger every day. And thanks to the energy workers, who continuously restore networks, and substations, repair thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants, we still have electricity. The situation is too complicated, but it remains under control," Sakharuk assured.

He added that the shutdowns introduced in Ukraine helped maintain control over the system and buy time to fix it.

"By itself, the disconnection is not so terrible. The main thing is to be able to join. Automation often turns off precisely so that there is an opportunity to turn on, and not because our network has burned down and we have lost the ability to manage it," he emphasized.

At the same time, he admitted that a complete power outage in the Ukrainian capital is possible but will not last too long.

"A blackout in Kyiv is even theoretically possible in its entirety. But if the system turns around, that is, turns on within the next 3-4 hours, even 6 hours, even when itʼs cold, thatʼs normal. It may be so, but nothing terrible will happen from it. It is worse if we cannot turn on the system. Theoretically, such a situation could be the result of significant destruction of both generation facilities and substations that allow electricity to be transferred from one place of the country to another, where it is consumed," noted Dmytro Sakharuk.

However, the official considers the probability of such a scenario to be low.

• Russian shelling of critical infrastructure disabled almost half of Ukraineʼs energy system.
• On November 15, enemy rockets damaged 15 energy facilities, and thousands of kilometers of main high-voltage lines were not working. This infrastructure is necessary for the production of electricity from power plants and transmission from the western regions to the east, that is, throughout the country.