Yulia Svyrydenko: The Government is taking measures to overcome the consequences of the energy emergency

The country’s power system is facing extremely difficult circumstances due to intense russian attacks and the harshest winter in 20 years. In connection with the emergency in the energy sector, the Government continues to implement measures to mitigate its consequences. This was announced by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

1. Management and coordination

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal has been appointed head of operations for eliminating the consequences of the emergency situation.

The Government has established permanent operational headquarters: one at the national level and a separate one for the city of Kyiv and Kyiv region. These headquarters will coordinate the actions of energy companies, utility services, the State Emergency Service, local authorities, and central executive bodies on a 24/7 basis.

2. Curfew

In areas where a state of emergency has been declared in the electricity sector, the curfew may be eased.

During curfew hours, citizens will be permitted to:

• be present on the streets and in public places without special passes, including in shopping and entertainment centres that function as Points of Invincibility, warming centres, or locations supporting the vital needs of people and businesses. Such locations must have heating, autonomous power supply, and stable communications. Entertainment venues are not included in this category.
• use private vehicles.

The Emergency Response Headquarters or regional military administrations may establish additional curfew mitigation measures based on the local situation. The specific territory where these curfew relaxations will apply will be determined by the Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergency Situations Commission. The first meeting on this matter will take place tomorrow.

Law enforcement and defence forces will ensure control and public order.

3. Education

In Kyiv, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Kyiv City State Administration are to extend or establish winter school holidays until 1 February 2026. This decision does not apply to kindergartens.

The Ministry of Education and Science, together with regional military administrations, must assess whether all educational institutions in the regions should temporarily switch to distance learning or extend/introduce winter holidays until 1 February 2026, depending on the security situation in each region.

4. Increasing electricity imports

The Government is creating every possible condition for the rapid increase of electricity imports – both for state-owned companies and for private businesses.

5. Points of Invincibility

The Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service, regional military administrations and the Kyiv City Military Administration are monitoring the operation of Points of Invincibility on a daily basis – checking their equipment levels, availability of generators, communication, fuel, and consumables. Currently more than 10,000 such points are deployed across the country, including over 1,200 in Kyiv.

Additional Points of Invincibility will be deployed within the next 24 hours to cover the period of difficult weather conditions and the energy emergency. There is a reserve of a further 3,300 points. Catering will also be organised at these points during this period.

The Government receives daily updates on the status and any issues with the Points of Invincibility.

6. Reserve generation and connections

The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, and the State Energy Supervision Inspectorate have been instructed to simplify as much as possible the connection of cogeneration units, modular boiler houses, gas-turbine and gas-piston installations in order to increase distributed generation capacity.

The National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission has been recommended to shorten deadlines and simplify requirements for project documentation, technical conditions, and connection procedures. The Commission will report the results to the Government within one week.

7. Backup power and generators

Within 24 hours, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service, and regional military administrations are to analyse the need for generators and other backup equipment by region.

The equipment must be promptly redistributed to the areas of greatest need to ensure the operation of critical life-support infrastructure.

8. Power supply to residential buildings in Kyiv and Kyiv region

Within the next 24 hours, an analysis will be carried out in Kyiv and Kyiv region of:

• the condition of heat, electricity, gas, and water supply to residential buildings;
• separately – buildings with electric heating that currently have no electricity supply.

For residents of the buildings in the most difficult situation, reserve power sources, water delivery, and other assistance are being provided.

9. Buildings with electric heating

The Government is considering the possibility of classifying residential buildings with electric heating as critical infrastructure facilities in order to ensure continuous heating.

10. Rational electricity consumption

All regional military administrations and the Kyiv City Military Administration must, within 24 hours, reduce electricity consumption, in particular by limiting external illumination of buildings and territories, advertising lighting, and excess street lighting.

The 112 hotline is operating round the clock to receive reports of outages of heat, water, and electricity supply.

“The Government, energy workers, and all services continue to work 24/7. Coordination and control over the implementation of all these decisions is being carried out by the Minister of Energy, Denys Shmyhal,” emphasised Yulia Svyrydenko.