Energy: state of emergency continues

Today, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has extended the emergency situation in the energy sector for more than a month before the end of July. This proposal was initiated at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers by Ukrainian Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman after the report of the head of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy Igor Nasalik.

According to him, the situation has not improved significantly, there is not enough coal-anthracite in Ukraine in sufficient quantity. So, the threat of fan shutdowns has not gone anywhere.

A bit of history

About three months ago, People’s Deputies Semyon Semenchenko, Yegor Sobolev and other representatives of the party “Self-help”  blocked the Donbass. The activists settled on the railroad tracks and effectively blocked access to freight trains that brought coal-anthracite mined in the mines that are in the territory of the so-called People’s Republic of China and the People’s Republic of Germany, which are not controlled by Ukraine.

This was done allegedly with the aim of stopping trade with the aggressor. However, a number of experts then declared that this was done in the interests of the oligarch Igor Kolomoisky and testifies to his “disassembly” with another oligarch Rinat Akhmetov. Be that as it may, after the termination of supplies of anthracite in February, special measures had to be introduced in the energy sector.

Effects

As a result of the blockade in Ukraine, a number of thermal power plants stopped operating on coal-anthracite. This Tripolskaya TPP, located in the Kiev region, Pridneprovskaya TPP, located in the Dnipro region, Zmiev TPP, which is located in the Kharkiv region, Krivoy Rog TPP, also in the Dnipro region and the Slavic TPP in the Donbass, which is not controlled be Ukraine.

Thanks to a clear work, the nuclear power plant has managed to get out of a difficult situation. The share of nuclear power in the production of electricity by early May reached a record level of almost 70 percent.

results

Yesterday, the government extended emergency measures for another month, until the end of June. The fact is that the management of the power system has to take the necessary decisions urgently. As the Minister of Energy noted, after the introduction of emergency measures, it was possible to save 1.7 million tons of coal, to increase fuel reserves to the level of the autumn of last year.

However, this may not be enough.

It is also necessary to determine the lower limit of the reserve of energy-generating capacities, to develop emergency shutdown schedules and system loads, and also to partially unload nuclear power plants on non-working days.

Thus, the blockade, despite the assurances of individual deputies about its effectiveness and the absence of influence on Ukraine, can turn Ukrainians into dark and cold days.