Kyiv could cut power outages to four hours within a week, expert says

Kyiv could return to significantly shorter power outages within a week if repair crews can work without hindrance, potentially limiting restrictions to four hours or eliminating them entirely, according to energy expert Oleksandr Kharchenko. The situation depends on the intensity of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. Kharchenko stated that Kyiv is fully dependent on high-voltage substations of Ukrenergo, as the city has no internal generation. He noted that out of 235 protected facilities, a missile destroyed a transformer at only one, but attacks with drones hinder repair work. Equipment reserves for repairs may be exhausted within a couple of months. The expert said Mayor Vitali Klitschko exaggerates threats to water supply, as Kyiv has a triple water system and boreholes as a backup. Kyiv's thermal power plants have destroyed electrical parts and cannot generate electricity, though heat production is prepared for the season.