On the morning of January 31, a large-scale failure in Ukraine’s power system triggered emergency electricity shutoffs across much of the country - and beyond.
A serious disruption in the Ukrainian grid left Kyiv, the Kyiv region and several other areas without power.
Ukrainian media, social media groups and official channels reported that electricity in the capital might not be restored until the end of the day, with some districts expected to see service return only the following day.
DTEK said that, on orders from Ukrenergo, emergency outages were introduced in Kyiv and the surrounding region.
Under this regime, standard outage schedules do not apply and power is supplied as capacity allows.
Similar statements have been issued by energy providers in other parts of the country.
The situation has already sharply affected public transit. In Kyiv, metro train service was temporarily halted, with similar issues reported in Kharkiv. Communication problems have also made it difficult at times to hail taxis.
Authorities are urging residents to remain calm and follow official updates from energy companies and city services.
The disruption in Ukraine’s grid also had cross-border effects. Moldova, including Chișinău, experienced a blackout.
The country’s Energy Ministry said that on the morning of January 31 there was a sharp voltage drop on the 400 kV Isaccea–Vulcănești–MGRES line.
That led to an emergency shutdown of Moldova’s power system.
Moldovan officials said the cause was instability in Ukraine’s network, to which Moldova is connected via transmission lines. Specialists are working to restore electricity and stabilize the system.
