Kyiv residents are shocked: power outages began earlier than expected.
Power outages have begun again in Ukraine, although calculations showed that existing generation should be sufficient for now.
The deputy inquired how long the outages would last . The expert said there were two reasons—heat and grid damage —but added that he was surprised, as he hadn't expected outages to begin so quickly in the city center, as calculations showed that the current generation would be sufficient for now.
"Municipal generation is almost non-existent. Gas-fired power plants, which belong to state-owned and even partially state-owned companies, are practically not turned on," Kharchenko said, specifying that they are not included even at times when it is economically profitable.
This is due to law enforcement interference in economic activity – " a large number of generation facilities have been blocked ." The fact is that Naftogaz purchases some of the imported gas and sells it on the Ukrainian market for approximately 30 hryvnias. Meanwhile, the owners of the installations have contracts with Naftogaz and are obligated to purchase fuel from them. Meanwhile, the same gas is 20% cheaper on the Ukrainian energy exchange.
As a result, the prosecutor's office comes to the companies and brings charges of misappropriation of funds – purchasing gas at a higher price than it is available.
“Prison, and without any options,” the expert emphasizes.
Moreover, if the company's director buys gas on the exchange, he will also have to pay Naftogaz according to the contract, which is why almost no one buys gas on the exchange, even in the summer, when gas is cheaper.
“As a result, 400 to 700 megawatts of power were lost from the system , which is simply unavailable during peak hours when it is most needed,” Kharchenko laments.
Kyiv is shocked: Power outages began earlier than expected.