The Ukrainian government faces an electricity crisis with the closure of an anthracite coal-fired power station, the Slavyansk power station, one of six in the country leaving only one operational.
The Ukrainian government shut down the Slavyansk power station, which is one of the six thermal power plants in the country that fires anthracite coal, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and Coal Mining announced on Tuesday.
The country faces a new electricity crisis ahead due to the shortage of coal for electricity generation following the closure of four power plants, Tripilska, Pridniprovska, Zmiyivska, Krivorizska at the beginning of April.
With the closure of the 600 megawatts Slavyansk power station, the country has currently only one operational anthracite coal-fired thermal power plant, the Lugansk power plant, which is reported having fuel reserves for only 44 days.
The anthracite coal, which is used for electricity production at some of the Ukrainian power plants, is unable to be sourced from the Donbass region that came under the control of pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.
The problem started in January when pro-Ukrainian groups halted trains carrying coal in an attempt to damage the economy of the pro-Russian separatists.
Since then, the lack of coal in the power plants escalated to a critical point endangering the generation of sufficient electricity for the region's needs.
Following power outages, the government announced a state of emergency for its energy sector for two months since Feb. 15.
Reporting by Ali Cura in Kiev
Writing by Ebru Sengul
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr