Ukraine may get only 30-60 minutes of electricity daily in severe frost

If the energy situation in Ukraine remains as poor as it is now, electricity supply to consumers could be limited to just one hour per day once temperatures drop to -5°C, according to Oleh Popenko, head of the Union of Consumers of Utility Services. Popenko stated in an interview that the most pessimistic forecasts are realistic, predicting power outages lasting days rather than hours. He noted that as soon as real frosts arrive, consumption rises so significantly that electricity may be provided for only half an hour to one hour daily, with some regions facing outages lasting several consecutive days. The expert urged preparation for the worst-case scenario, citing a recent example in Konotop, Sumy region, where electricity was absent for five straight days. Separately, energy expert Stanislav Ihnatiev reported that Kyiv's thermal generation is already two-thirds destroyed, potentially causing issues with water and heating supply, especially in high-rise buildings without backup power for pumps.