Kiev may complete the necessary backup energy infrastructure only by the end of March 2027. This was stated by Volodymyr Omelchenko, director of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, quoted by UNIAN. According to him, the Ukrainian capital remains facing a serious risk of power, heating and water supply outages in the winter.
According to Omelchenko, public procurement data shows that the delivery and installation of equipment for critical infrastructure will not be completed before the end of March. These are systems that must ensure the operation of basic services, including water supply, in the event of damage to the power grid.
The capital covers a small part of its needs
In winter, Kiev needs between 2 and 2.3 gigawatts of electricity, while the decentralized generation installed has a capacity of about 65 megawatts. According to the Kiev City Military Administration, diesel power plants with a capacity of over 16 megawatts have also been built in the capital.
Omelchenko claims that Kiev depends on external supplies for over 95% of its electricity. According to him, if Russian forces manage to cut off the transmission network around the city, the capital could be left without electricity. He defines the areas served by TPP-4 and TPP-5 as particularly vulnerable, since in the event of a failure, heating may also be interrupted.
The expert points out that the scale of the crisis will depend on the intensity of Russian attacks and Ukraine's ability to intercept drones and missiles. According to him, future interruptions may last from several hours to several days.
Individual projects will continue until the end of March
The topic of the backup power supply of the water supply system was also raised after procedures initiated in September by “Kievvodokanal“. They are related to 13 water supply and sewage stations, and the total value of the orders is 615.64 million hryvnias. The works should be completed by the end of March 2027.
The deadline does not mean that all the water supply company's facilities are without backup electricity. The head of the “Institute of the City“ Oleksandr Sergienko stated:
“All about 130 stations of “Kievvodokanal“ are equipped with backup power.“According to him, the additional orders are probably related to the construction of more powerful systems or the expansion of existing capacity.
Thus, Kiev enters the winter season with already built backup capacities, but also with key projects, the final implementation of which is planned for the spring of 2027. It is this delay, according to Omelchenko, that leaves critical infrastructure dependent on the resilience of the main network and the development of Russian air attacks.
Sources: news.bg, hromadske.radio, ru.interfax.com.ua