{"id":1349302,"date":"2026-01-26T15:54:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T13:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/why-is-kyiv-without-electricity-and-heat-answers-to-difficult-questions\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T08:16:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T06:16:44","slug":"why-is-kyiv-without-electricity-and-heat-answers-to-difficult-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prm.ua\/en\/why-is-kyiv-without-electricity-and-heat-answers-to-difficult-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"A Capital in Darkness: How and Why Kyiv Lost Power and Heat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: Author’s Facebook<\/a> page<\/em><\/p>\n

Kyiv\u2019s problems run deeper than blackouts: years without a development strategy, combined with constant political battles over the budget and control of the city, have left the capital vulnerable.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) Where does electricity in Kyiv come from?<\/strong>
About 20% of Kyiv\u2019s electricity<\/strong> is generated by the city\u2019s combined heat and power plants (CHPs).
The remaining 80% comes from nuclear power plants<\/strong>. This electricity is transmitted to Kyiv through distribution substations, most of which are located outside the city and are not controlled by Kyiv\u2019s local authorities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

2) Where does Kyiv\u2019s heat come from?<\/strong>
Heat is mainly produced at CHP plants<\/strong>, which also generate the 20% of electricity mentioned above.
The majority of Kyiv\u2019s heat supply comes from CHPs, while only a small share<\/strong> is generated by district boiler houses and boiler facilities operated by condominium associations.<\/p>\n

3) Why does Kyiv face such serious electricity problems?<\/strong>
The core issue is that many electricity distribution substations are not under Kyiv\u2019s control<\/strong>.
As a result, even if all CHP plants were operating perfectly, Kyiv would still face power supply problems\u2014because the issue lies not with the 20% generated locally, but with the 80% supplied through state-controlled infrastructure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

4) Can the city solve the electricity problem on its own?<\/strong>
No.<\/strong> Kyiv does not own nuclear power plants or the main distribution substations; they are controlled by the state, which is logical given their strategic importance.
However, the city can and should<\/strong> ensure that critical infrastructure is equipped with autonomous backup power sources<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t