Ukraine to introduce a state of emergency in the energy sector
A state of emergency in the energy sector will be introduced in Ukraine. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a meeting on the critical state of the power system.
The Head of State explained that the legalisation of the state of emergency will allow the government to act faster and more efficiently in the face of damage to energy infrastructure caused by Russian attacks and severe winter weather. Zelenskyy called the stabilisation of the energy system, which will be the responsibility of the Cabinet of Ministers, a key task in overcoming the crisis.
The President instructed the government to introduce maximum deregulation to connect backup power equipment to the grid. According to him, during this period, bureaucracy should be completely eliminated so that generators and other backup capacities can operate without delays. He also emphasised the need to significantly increase electricity imports from abroad and intensify cooperation with international partners in supplying equipment.
The meeting also addressed the situation in Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih and other cities. Zelenskyy noted Kharkiv's preparations for possible blackouts, while sharply criticising the state of affairs in the capital. As a result of the meeting, a permanent coordination headquarters will be set up in Kyiv, and the number of resilience points should be significantly increased with mandatory checks of their readiness.
In addition, the president instructed the government to prepare a revision of the curfew rules for the duration of the emergency. According to him, in certain cities and communities, where the security situation allows, the curfew may be cancelled or relaxed so that people have more opportunities to use support points and businesses can plan their operations in the face of unstable power supply.
The Ministry of Education and Science, together with local authorities, should also prepare proposals for the organisation of the educational process during the energy emergency.
