Power outages may return due to a new heatwave – Ukrainian officials

In comments for Ukraine’s telethon, deputy energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk predicts that the brutal heat return expected on August 17 could dramatically increase electricity consumption, which, in turn, can strain the country’s “vulnerable’ power grid, crippled  by recent large-scale Russian attacks.

Hrynchuk warned about the worst-case scenario, where “any additional damage or weather conditions might lead to the need for scheduled outages.”

The deputy minister urged Ukrainians to use electricity “conservatively”, especially during peak hours. What gives a glimmer of hope is ongoing repair at the energy generating sites that can help ease the situation.