The Ministry of Energy has updated the instructions for creating and applying blackout schedules in Ukraine with the aim of fair distribution of electricity among consumers.
Points of attention
- The Ministry of Energy in Ukraine has updated blackout schedules to ensure fair distribution of electricity among consumers, limiting power outages to 6 hours using planned outage schedules.
- The new regulations include creating blackout schedules twice a year based on at least 75% of maximum electricity consumption, divided into 6 queues with 2 sub-queue levels for better management.
- The updated rules set the maximum one-time duration of blackout at 6 hours during the application of HPV, with subsequent minimum power supply of 2 hours and a maximum switching time of 30 minutes.
- The aim of these changes is to provide more flexibility and control in managing blackouts, ensuring a more uniform and fair distribution across all regions of Ukraine.
- By unifying the blackout regulation mechanism, the Ministry of Energy expects fewer consumers to be disconnected during outages, following a clear sequence of distribution for fair allocation of electricity.
What is known about changes in blackout schedules in Ukraine
According to the department's order, which entered into force on December 3 of this year, schedules of planned outages will be drawn up twice a year after measurements of the level of electricity consumption in the summer and winter periods.
Schedules will be drawn up taking into account at least 75% of the volume from the maximum consumption of electric power from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on a regular day.
The shutdown schedules will be divided into 6 queues, each of which will additionally have 2 sub-queue levels, which, for their part, will maintain a volume of at least 12.5% of the total consumption of measurements on the last regular day.
During the period of martial law and for a year after its cancellation, the following rules will apply:
the maximum one-time duration of a power outage during the application of HPV cannot exceed 6 hours. The possible deviation cannot be more than 1 hour regardless of the outside air temperature;
the subsequent period of power supply to consumers after the shutdown must be at least 2 hours, not including the switching time. At the same time, the switching time should not exceed 30 minutes.
Critically important objects, which must be provided with priority energy supply in accordance with the established minimum load, are not included in the HPV.
What does the Ministry of Energy expect from changes in the schedules of blackouts
The department notes that the updated mechanism for regulating planned outage schedules will be more flexible and controlled.
Changing the distribution into uniform queues and sub-queues will allow a smaller number of consumers to be disconnected when using the GPV.
Due to unification, a single distribution mechanism will be applied in all regions, disconnections will be more uniform and fair — according to a clear sequence.
