Russia hits Ukraine’s energy grid: Zaporizhzhia recovers, Dnipro still without power and heat

Key points:

• Dnipropetrovsk region: more than 1 million subscribers without heat and water; parts of the region and the city of Dnipro remain without electricity.

• Critical infrastructure is being powered first; repair work has continued nonstop since overnight.

• Dnipro’s left bank: water supply available but with reduced pressure.

• School holidays in Dnipro extended until January 11; electric transport replaced with buses.

• Trains in Dnipro are operating with diesel locomotives; railway stations and hospitals are running on generators.

• Kryvyi Rih: the largest Russian attack since the start of the war; 29,360 subscribers without power, with problems in heating and water supply.

• Zaporizhzhia region: electricity restored in less than seven hours.

• Heating and water supply continue in Zaporizhzhia.

• Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo urges residents to limit electricity consumption due to a difficult situation in the power system.

Dnipropetrovsk region

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, more than one million subscribers remain without heat and water. About 800,000 consumers are still without electricity, and eight mines were de-energized.

Dnipro and parts of the region remain without power.

Energy workers have restored electricity to some critical infrastructure facilities in the region. Restoration efforts have been ongoing nonstop since nightfall, with crews working from across the region.

Specialists promise to restore power to households as quickly as possible once all critical infrastructure has been fully supplied.

Centralized utility systems have been partially restored in several settlements. Repair teams are operating in an intensified mode. On Dnipro’s left bank, water supply is available but at reduced pressure. Social and critical infrastructure facilities are operating on backup power.

Electric public transport in Dnipro will be replaced with buses, and the city will increase the number of vehicles on routes. School holidays in the city have been extended until January 11.

All trains in the city and region continue to operate using diesel locomotives. Railway stations are also powered by generators, and “points of resilience” are operating.

In Kryvyi Rih, which suffered the largest attack since the start of the war, the electricity situation remains extremely difficult in three districts:

• Inhulets district,

• parts of the Metalurhiinyi district,

• parts of the Dovhyntsivskyi district.

A total of 29,360 subscribers are experiencing emergency power outages. Water supply in the southern part of the city is being maintained using generators.

More than 30 boiler houses were shut down, including several large ones. All have now resumed normal operations except one in the Inhulets district, which is running on a generator. Heat supply there is only beginning to be restored. Pipe ruptures caused by hydraulic shocks are being recorded across the city.

Hospitals in Kryvyi Rih are operating on generators. Electric transport has resumed service. Schools and kindergartens in the Inhulets district will operate remotely.

All points of resilience are functioning and have been instructed to turn on generators at the first sign of need.

Zaporizhzhia region

At around 10:00 p.m. local time yesterday, as a result of a massive enemy drone attack on energy infrastructure, the Zaporizhzhia region was also completely left without power.

Restoration work began immediately and continued throughout the night. Critical infrastructure facilities were prioritized.

By 5:00 a.m. — in less than seven hours — energy workers completed the repairs and restored the electricity supply.

As of this morning, power supply in the Zaporizhzhia region has been restored.

However, the regional power company warns that the situation in the Zaporizhzhia energy system remains difficult after the overnight strikes.

“To avoid repeated mass blackouts, we urgently ask residents to limit the use of high-power electrical appliances,” Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo said in a statement.

Boiler houses in Zaporizhzhia are operating normally. Heat and water supply to homes continues.

Electricity supply to strategic infrastructure has been restored. Trains in the region are running as usual.

Background

On Wednesday, January 7, Russian forces struck critical infrastructure facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, leaving both regions completely without electricity.

Following the massive blackout, generators are being sent to the affected regions from other parts of Ukraine, according to Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation Stanislav Prybytkо.

Additional emergency crews from network operators are also being dispatched to support communications and stabilize networks.

According to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, the Russian strikes are deliberate and aimed at civilians, indicating an attempt to create conditions for a humanitarian catastrophe in large industrial cities with hundreds of thousands of residents, such as Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia.

Sources: materials from DTEK, the Ministry of Energy, statements by Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba, and reports from local authorities and regional power companies.