Years needed for energy recovery: Kharkiv reliant on other regions after Russia's attack on CHP plant
Kharkiv Combined Heat and Power Plant No 5 (wikipedia.org)
The Russian strike on Kharkiv, which took place on March 22, led to the destruction of energy facilities. The electricity supply to Kharkiv is now provided by other regions, reports the press service representative of Kharkiv Combined Heat and Power Plant No 5 (CHPP-5), Natalia Verbova.
According to a representative from CHPP-5, the most extensive damage from the Russian assault on March 22 was inflicted on the energy infrastructure, resulting in Kharkiv's power supply being sustained by other regions.
"To fully assess the extent of the damage to the thermal power plant and the required restoration works, we'll have to wait until the debris is cleared and the site is surveyed. However, according to energy experts, it's already evident that this will be an extremely labor-intensive and costly process, comparable to new construction," she explained.
CHPP-5 director, Oleksandr Minkovych, mentioned that exclusive equipment for the power units, including turbines and generators, would need to be manufactured for the central plant's restoration.
"In the event of full funding for the work, assistance with equipment production and supply, the reconstruction process will take more than one year," he said.
The mass shelling of Ukraine on March 22 and its consequences in Kharkiv
On the morning of March 22, Russian forces conducted a massive attack on the territory of Kharkiv and its surrounding regions, among other Ukrainian cities.
According to Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, the region was hit by 21 rockets during the mass shelling.
As a result of the shelling, Kharkiv was completely cut off from electricity. There were also issues with the water supply.
Later, the regional administration announced that power outages could be introduced in Kharkiv and the region according to schedules - temporarily to stabilize the situation.
Thus, power outage schedules were introduced in the city, and on the first day, there were reports of internet and communication outages in many areas.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that after the massive Russian attack on March 22, the most difficult situation remains in Kharkiv. Meanwhile, emergency power outage schedules are in effect in some affected regions.
