Briefly
In Kyiv on Saturday, January 9, a phased launch of the heating system began: heat-generating facilities are supplying the heat carrier to residential buildings, and the introduction of supply directly into homes is ongoing. This is a key step after a nighttime massive attack that caused significant damage to the power grids.
“We expect full heat supply today”
— Yuliia Svyrydenko, Prime Minister
What has been done
According to city authorities, over the past 24 hours heat supply has been restored to approximately half of the buildings that were left without heating after the shelling. At the same time, due to emergency power outages, some systems — water supply, heat supply and electric transport — are temporarily not operating.
“I ask Kyiv residents who have electricity to use it sparingly. Do not turn on high-energy appliances. So as not to overload the system, so that light, and accordingly — heat and water — are available to all residents of the city”
— Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv
Reasons for delays
The reason is simple and critical: the power grids were significantly damaged as a result of the shelling, and due to low temperatures the use of electric heaters is increasing. This creates additional overload on the system and forces operators to introduce planned and emergency outages to avoid widespread infrastructure collapse.
To protect internal piping, some buildings were forced to drain water from heating systems that had been left without a heat carrier — a standard preventive measure against pipe bursts during outages.
What authorities are doing and what to expect
Central and city authorities are coordinating the phased startup of heat sources and the stabilization of the networks. Work continues with priority for critical infrastructure facilities and the housing stock with the most vulnerable residents. However, full restoration depends on two factors: the stability of electricity supply and the absence of new strikes on the networks.
What every Kyiv resident can do
Saving electricity here is not a symbolic gesture, but a technological necessity. Specialists and network operators advise:
- do not turn on large appliances at the same time (heaters, washing machines and dishwashers);
- if possible, use automatic timers and staggered switching on of appliances;
- follow the city authorities' instructions regarding warming centers and centralized assistance points.
Energy sector analysts agree: if there are no new strikes on infrastructure and it is possible to keep loads within operational schedules, the phased restoration of heat supply could be completed in the coming days.
The next 24–48 hours are critical: the speed and uniformity with which heat returns to every home depends on the stability of the networks and consumer discipline.
