Longer blackouts predicted in Ukraine as restrictions imposed at 2 NPPs reduce output by over 8%

In Ukraine, the number of power outages due to problems at nuclear power plants is increasing. Two units of two NPPs are not operating at full capacity, energy market sources told LIGA.net.

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Problems at the nuclear power plants have resulted in a generation deficit of 625 MW in the energy system, amounting to an 8% loss in power generation.

Specifically, one block at a nuclear power plant has been out of service since spring 2023, and another block at a different plant went offline on Tuesday, September 3.

According to Oleksandr Kharchenko, director of the Energy Industry Research Center, an accident occurred at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant yesterday.

"Two additional rounds of outages from Ukrenergo today – because a 600 MW power unit reduced its output. Most likely, it will go into repair next week," Kharchenko said.

He added that his optimistic forecasts for normalizing the situation in the energy system are no longer valid.

Russia has destroyed 9.2 GW of power generation capacity in Ukraine during the spring and summer of 2024. Rolling blackouts, which had not occurred since February 2023, resumed in the country in May 2024.

On August 26, four power units at nuclear power plants were temporarily disconnected from the grid due to a Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine.