A huge proportion of Ukraine’s population, many millions it is believed, are suffering under the burden of a record heat wave compounded by regular power cuts. Daily life is divided into blocks of time when electricity is available.
Regular Russian air strikes have severely damaged the country’s energy system, leading to hours-long rolling blackouts that have forced residents and businesses to adapt in the extreme heat.
The Central Geophysical Observatory reports that it had recorded a record-high 93.5 degF (34.2 degC) in Kyiv for July 15. With even higher temperatures expected to follow.
Grid operator Ukrenergo announced on 16 July new emergency electricity shutdowns for some consumers in seven regions – but not the capital – owing to the heat wave, following a failure of power system equipment.
“Last night there was an equipment failure at one of the energy facilities. The energy deficit in the system increased,” it reported on the Telegram messaging app. The energy ministry has urged consumers to conserve energy and minimise the use of high demand electrical appliances to preserve the stability of the power grid.
The extreme heat is also taking a broader toll on Ukraine’s economy, with state weather forecasters saying on Tuesday the harvest of late crops could decline by up to 30% in central, southern and eastern regions.
