State authorities should abandon use of air conditioners and external lighting of buildings - Shmyhal

The Cabinet of Ministers has instructed state authorities to reduce electricity consumption, ministries, departments, regional state administrations should abandon the use of air conditioners, external lighting of buildings and the surrounding area.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced this on his Telegram channel, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

"In order to improve the situation in the power system, we are simultaneously working from two sides. We are restoring and expanding generation and at the same time reducing consumption. We are starting with ourselves. All state authorities are tasked with reducing electricity consumption. We are adopting the relevant Government order today. Ministries, central executive authorities, regional state administrations should abandon the use of air conditioners, external lighting of buildings and the surrounding area," he said.

The Cabinet of Ministers also recommends law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities, other state agencies to take similar steps, and local authorities to limit street lighting.

In addition, the government urges businesses to limit the use of air conditioners and other energy-intensive equipment that is not critical to production activities.

Shmyhal noted that, as an exception, the use of air conditioners in hospitals and enterprises where air conditioning is part of the production process will not be limited.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said that russia wants a complete blackout in Ukraine, Ukraine is preparing for a difficult situation in winter, the way to survive is to ensure that all 9 NPP power units work in winter.

At the beginning of June, the Ministry of Energy reported that due to shelling by the russian occupiers of energy infrastructure after March 22, Ukraine's energy system lost about 9 GW of capacity.