Return of Power Outages: Expert Explains the Reasons

In Ukraine, power outages are once again returning, a situation that has arisen following a decision made by the energy regulator NKREKP. This was reported by Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the former head of the National Energy Company Ukrenergo and founder of the Ne Gen company, in a recent Facebook publication.

Kudrytskyi pointed out that while power outages are returning, it is important to note that, unlike last winter, these outages are not due to recent attacks on the energy infrastructure or extreme cold weather, as the weather forecast indicates relatively mild temperatures and electricity consumption remains low.

The expert emphasized that the root cause of the outages is the decision made by the NKREKP, which is still overseen by subordinates of Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko. According to Kudrytskyi, since the beginning of April, the regulator has set maximum electricity prices for non-household consumers—essentially everyone except the general population—at levels that have led to serious consequences for the electricity market.

Kudrytskyi drew an analogy, stating that the NKREKP's decision can be compared to setting a maximum price for diesel fuel at gas stations at 50 UAH per liter. "Electricity has disappeared just as diesel would instantly vanish," he emphasized, indicating that such decisions lead to resource shortages in the market.

He also highlighted that a similar situation occurred last winter when the regulator artificially restrained electricity imports from the European Union through administratively set prices. This resulted in power outages lasting 16 to 18 hours a day, significantly complicating life for Ukrainians.

It is worth recalling that earlier, on March 3, 2026, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reviewed plans for energy resilience in the regions, which require approximately 215 billion UAH for implementation. On March 4, 2026, it became known that Ukraine needs to attract over 5 billion euros to prepare for the upcoming heating season. After four years of full-scale war, only 10 GW of generating capacity remains from the 32 GW that existed at the beginning of 2022.

On March 28, power supply temporarily disappeared in Kyiv on the left bank of the capital, as well as in the Pecherskyi, Holosiivskyi, Solomianskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi districts, leading to the suspension of metro and other electric transport services in some areas.

According to the latest news, on April 3, 2026, power outage schedules will return, raising concerns among the population and businesses alike.