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The Lviv region is taking measures to maintain the viability and balance of its energy system. Businesses in the region are urged to switch to night shifts where it is possible, the Lviv Regional Military Administration (LOVA) reports.
According to Andrii Hodyk, the first deputy head of the LOVA, switching to work during night hours will allow the daily consumption of electricity to pass more evenly and create fewer emergency situations. It will also enable enterprises, that do not receive the necessary power today, to receive it within the limits of the night time.
«The coming days will show how much we can do without emergency and extreme measures in response to balancing the energy system. I understand that there are some business entities that have not received the full required capacity from October 10 to today due to technical reasons. But in order to avoid emergency shutdowns by power system operators, we need to work out an algorithm to shift consumption to nighttime during those peak hours of the day as much as possible,’’ – he said.
According to the decision made at the meeting of the Lviv region’s Defense Council, the use of all types of outdoor lighting, except for the lighting of the street and road network and critical infrastructure objects, was prohibited in the territory of the region during the curfew. The ban also applies to the lighting of outdoor advertising on the facades of buildings and special structures after the end of their business hours – regardless of their organisational and legal form.
«The biggest problem, and everyone understands it perfectly, is peak loads. This happens when the most energy-intensive consumers operate during peak hours, and even from 7 am to 11 pm when heaters are turned on during working hours due to the cold weather. In order to reduce these consumption equalisation peaks during the day, we will ask, together with us, in communication with the regional energy companies, to consider options for switching to night shifts, where it is possible,» – the first deputy head of the LOVA said.
He also explained to the business how measures are taken in terms of limiting the electricity supply, if there is such a need.
«The operator, seeing the balance, namely generation and planned consumption, gives appropriate instructions to the units of [Ukraine’s main energy company] «Ukrenergo» with a proven volume per region. In accordance with this, measures are being taken to limit the electricity supply. In the event that these steps are insufficient, the operators make a decision regarding the emergency shutdown for a certain period of time of a certain range of subscriptions,» – he added.
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As the «Ukrenergo» representative said, the situation with electricity supply in the region is under control, but the volume that the system operator can provide to consumers today is not sufficient. However, the required amount of electricity can be provided without problems from 11 pm to 7 am.
We will remind you that earlier, the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, called on the residents of the region to reduce electricity consumption and use of electrical appliances at certain hours, so that there are no interruptions in the operation of the power grids and there is no need to make forced shutdowns. He added that with the onset of cold weather and an increase in electricity consumption, rolling blackouts may be forced to be introduced in the Lviv region.
Now, it is possible to avoid blackouts, but how long such a possibility will last depends on the capabilities of the network and the energy efficiency of the region’s residents.
«If we understand together that in order to stay with light, we need to save and use it less, then, of course, we will enter the winter normally. But we are preparing for the fact that we may have to resort to rolling blackouts and further reduce the consumption of electricity for industry. There are already enterprises in the region that have agreed to work at night. We draw up schedules according to which we supply electricity to industrial enterprises,» – said Maksym Kozytskyi.
Read also: Back to furnaces in old houses. The official on preparing the historical part of Lviv for the winter
We will add that due to the Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure on October 20, restrictions on the supply of electricity were introduced throughout Ukraine.
The National Energy Company «Ukrenergo» noted that you can find out exact times and locations of power shutdowns on the websites of distribution network operators. Outages will be alternating and the duration of the queue is also determined by these operators, but it will last no more than 4 hours.
Recently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a strategic meeting on security issues at energy supply facilities, during which they discussed measures to eliminate the consequences in the event of a breakdown of Ukraine’s energy system. The President set the task of quickly creating mobile power points for the critical infrastructure of cities, towns and villages. «Ukrenergo» reported that they did not apply forced power cuts, as it was possible to significantly reduce electricity consumption in some regions. However, while high levels of energy savings were recorded in Kyiv and the central regions, the west and south of the country, on the contrary, increased the use of electricity.
Antonina Kostyk, Sofia Shavranska
Translated by Vitalii Holich
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