Some Ukrainian cities will face serious problems in the next heating season – expert

The Ukrainian cities of Krivoy Rog, Odessa, Kharkov and Nikolaev are experiencing the greatest difficulties in preparing for the next heating season, primarily due to Russian attacks. These cities require maximum preparation for winter, says Alexander Kharchenko, director of the Center for Energy Research (ERA).

“The bulk of preparations for the next heating season falls on the shoulders of local authorities. For example, Krivoy Rog is in a catastrophic situation. It is difficult for me to imagine what measures can be taken in one season under the current conditions. Kharkiv and Odessa also require significant efforts and should be a priority. Krivoy Rog, Odessa, Kharkiv and partly Mykolaiv are facing serious challenges,” Kharchenko said at a briefing at the Ukrainian Media Center in Kyiv.

He explained that the difficulties of these cities are caused by the war, which led to attacks on heat supply infrastructure, power generation facilities and distribution networks. Therefore, maximum efforts must be made to restore these systems.

As for other cities, Kharchenko noted that their situation is relatively stable, but most municipalities are aware of their vulnerability. He stressed the importance of not relying on another mild winter like last year, but instead immediately starting preparations for the next heating season.

In his opinion, Ukraine was able to survive the winter of 2024/2025 relatively smoothly, with household consumers largely unaffected by the restrictions. This was mainly due to record high temperatures and a significant reduction in electricity consumption in industry.

“Warm weather and reduced electricity consumption in industry allowed us to get through the heating season without any problems. In 2023, peak consumption reached 18 GW, while this winter it did not exceed 16 GW,” Kharchenko explained.

He also noted that power outages are observed much more frequently in the Kharkiv, Odessa and Sumy regions.

Earlier, on November 22, 2024, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine reported a critical heating crisis in Kryvyi Rih. At that time, 934 residential buildings, in which 110 thousand residents live, as well as 11 healthcare institutions, 43 educational institutions and a social protection center were left without heat.

Later, law enforcement agencies opened a criminal case on the fact of the disruption of the heating season in Krivoy Rog. As of December 6, 2025, 443 residential buildings in the city remain without heat.

Meanwhile, in the Odessa region, another Russian strike on March 6 left more than 10,000 households without electricity.