Shmyhal: Technical failure causes simultaneous blackouts in Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine

According to Ukrinform, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal reported this on Telegram. 

"Today at 10:42 a.m., a technical failure occurred, causing a simultaneous shutdown of the 400 kV line between the power systems of Romania and Moldova and the 750 kV line between the western and central parts of Ukraine. This caused a cascade shutdown in Ukraine's power grid and triggered automatic protection mechanisms at substations. Nuclear power plant units were unloaded," Shmyhal said.

Currently, in Kyiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv regions, the dispatcher has applied special emergency shutdown schedules.

Shmyhal stressed that Ukrenergo's energy specialists are working to restore power supply. Power will be restored within the next few hours.

As reported by Ukrinform, emergency power cuts have been implemented in Kyiv, Kyiv, and Odesa regions.

In the capital, due to the loss of power from external power supply centers, train service and escalator operation in the metro have been temporarily suspended.

The Ministry of Energy said that, according to experts' forecasts, power supply to the regions where emergency blackouts have been implemented will be restored within the next 2-3 hours.