Heating season under fire: Kyiv homes get heat from 2 November as Saturday outages hit

Boiler houses starting up across the country

Ukraine is entering the heating season under constant Russian attacks on its energy system. The Ministry for Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport said that, with average daily temperatures below +8°C for more than three days in a number of regions, a full start of heating systems will begin there shortly.

As of 30 October, 6,716 boiler houses were already operating in Ukraine. Heat had been supplied to 2,423 residential buildings and to 9,716 social facilities — kindergartens, schools, other educational institutions and hospitals.

Kyiv: homes from Monday

In the capital, residential buildings will start being connected to heating on Monday, 2 November. According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as reported by Kyiv Post and Ukrinform, starting the centralised heating system will take up to a week: Kyiv’s network is one of the largest in Europe, with roughly 3,000 kilometres of heating pipelines. Social institutions — hospitals, kindergartens and schools — have been heated since 16 October. The mayor said the decision was taken in advance because of the expected drop in temperature and the time needed to bring the system online.

The start of the season coincided with new attacks. On the evening of 30 October, Kyiv Post reported, three Russian drones hit one critical infrastructure facility in Kyiv, leaving large parts of the city without water or with reduced pressure, and cutting power in several districts.

Saturday: outage schedules

Ukrenergo said that on Saturday, 31 October, hourly outage schedules would apply in some regions to all categories of consumers, in a volume of 1.5 to 2.5 queues. Industry is subject to power limitation schedules. The measures are needed because of the consequences of massive Russian attacks on energy facilities. Since September, Russian strikes have hit more than 800 pieces of energy equipment, Ukrinform reported.

Ukrenergo stressed that the situation may change and that current schedules are published by regional distribution system operators on their official pages. Consumers are asked to use electricity sparingly during the hours when it is available.

Hardest hit: Kyiv, Kyiv region and Dnipropetrovsk region

The Energy Ministry said that, as a result of targeted attacks on power transmission systems and transformer equipment, the situation in Dnipropetrovsk region, Kyiv and the surrounding region remains difficult. The damage is extensive, so full restoration will take time, and repair crews are hampered by long air-raid alerts and the threat of repeat strikes. In Dnipropetrovsk region, energy workers restored power to critical infrastructure and some consumers, while emergency outages are in place. On Kyiv’s right bank and in the region, hourly schedules were temporarily suspended because of an accident at equipment damaged by shelling.

Shelters in maternity wards and hospital protection

The government is also preparing healthcare for winter. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi said UAH 294.8 million will go to repairing shelters in 84 facilities that handle births. The shelters will be adapted to the needs of pregnant women, new mothers and babies — with heat, light, water and ventilation — so that doctors can deliver babies and care for mothers and children even during air raids. “It is important that women who find it hard to move can get there safely,” he said.

A further UAH 59.8 million will strengthen protection at Health Ministry facilities with inpatient departments — operating theatres, intensive care units, neonatal intensive care and delivery rooms. Gabions, metal shutters and shatter-resistant window film will be installed. The money is being reallocated within the Health Ministry budget and requires no additional spending, Koretskyi said. According to Ukrinform, all of Ukraine’s protective structures can currently shelter about 55% of the population.

What to do

Follow your regional power company’s schedules, charge power banks when electricity is on, and keep a supply of water — especially in Kyiv, where supply is being restored in stages after the strikes.