Power outages in Ukraine: Schedules and backgrounds starting January 16.

Schedules for planned power outages

According to TSN.ua: Starting January 16, 2023, schedules for hourly power outages will apply in all regions of Ukraine. This measure is a direct result of massive Russian missile and drone attacks that have caused significant damage to the energy infrastructure. The outages are planned around the clock between 00:00 and 23:59 to ensure the stability of the power supply under conditions of limited resources.

In the Odesa region, the schedules are currently not applicable due to the significant destruction of the energy system there. For the Zaporizhzhia region, several time slots for outages are planned on January 16. The exact schedule includes the following intervals:

• 1.1: 03:00 — 08:00, 12:00 — 17:00, 21:00 — 24:00;
• 1.2: 03:00 — 08:00, 12:00 — 17:00, 21:00 — 24:00;
• 2.1: 00:00 — 03:30, 07:30 — 12:30, 16:30 — 21:30;
• 2.2: 00:00 — 03:30, 07:30 — 12:30, 16:30 — 21:30;
• 3.1: 03:00 — 08:00, 12:00 — 17:00, 21:00 — 24:00;
• 3.2: 03:00 — 08:00, 12:00 — 17:00, 21:00 — 24:00;
• 4.1: 00:00 — 03:30, 07:30 — 12:30, 16:30 — 21:30;
• 4.2: 00:00 — 03:30, 07:30 — 12:30, 16:30 — 21:30;
• 5.1: 03:00 — 08:00, 12:00 — 17:00, 21:00 — 24:00;
• 5.2: 03:00 — 08:00, 12:00 — 17:00, 21:00 — 24:00;
• 6.1: 00:00 — 03:30, 07:30 — 12:30, 16:30 — 21:30;
• 6.2: 00:00 — 03:30, 07:30 — 12:30, 16:30 — 21:30.

Plans for other regions, including Kyiv, as well as Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Transcarpathia, and Rivne, are still being finalized. Official information on the outage times in these areas is expected to be published soon. Authorities are urging citizens to prepare for these measures and to follow recommendations for energy saving. Such planned outages are often more necessary for grid stability than unforeseen blackouts.

Consequences for energy security

The introduction of planned power outages is a response to the massive challenges facing Ukraine's energy security in the war. These steps are intended not only to ensure a stable power supply but also to reduce the strain on the heavily damaged energy network. The government continues to work on the reconstruction of infrastructure, but the situation remains tense and requires the population's patience as well as the willingness to adjust daily life.