«We are preparing for the worst»: Sienkevych about threats during the heating season in Mykolaiv

Mykolaiv is preparing for the heating season, taking into account possible attacks on its energy and gas transmission infrastructure. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych urged the city's residents to be prepared for the most difficult scenarios, as Russian attacks on the energy system could be repeated.

This is stated in the article NikVesti: «This winter may be more difficult»: How Mykolaiv is preparing for the heating season».

According to him, the situation in the energy sector remains tense, so the main thing is to be prepared for any development.

«The state of the networks and the availability of gas today is, let's just say, not in the best condition. Therefore, we need to understand that the situation may be the worst, and we need to prepare for the worst,» said Oleksandr Sienkevych.

He reminded that the heat will be supplied to homes when the average daily temperature is +8°C or below for three consecutive days.

«If the cold snap is short-lived and then it warms up again, we will not immediately launch the system. We work with economy and safety in mind,» explained the mayor.

The mayor also said that this year, special attention was paid to the renovation of heating networks, first of all at Mykolaiv CHP, where old sections along Mariupolska and Pohranychna streets were relaid with funding from «Naftogaz».

«This is the first time in 50 years that we have completely laid new networks along Mariupolska Street. On Pohranychna, part of the pipes is already being filled with water and checked for pressure,» said the mayor.

According to Oleksandr Sienkevych, this year the Russians have already tried to leave the city without heat by attacking the CHP plant. He warned that not only the heating system but also the gas transmission infrastructure could be targeted.

«Russia is targeting our energy sector. And now it has started hitting the gas transmission system. These are not military targets, this is just plain terror against civilians,» he stressed.

Oleksandr Sienkevych noted that preparing for winter during the war is becoming more complicated every year, but the city has drawn conclusions from previous seasons and is trying to take them into account.

«We are preparing for different scenarios. No one knows exactly what the Russians are planning, what the winter will be like. Conclusions from previous years have been drawn. We will analyse this year in the spring,» summed up Oleksandr Sienkevych.

The heating season in Ukraine will start on time, according to the schedule. The Ministry of Energy clarified that the dates specified in the government decree: from 1 November to 31 March, do not refer to the supply of heat to homes, but to the regulation of the natural gas market.

Vitalii Kim, head of Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, said that the start of the heating season in Mykolaiv is to be postponed and the heating will be launched later. This is explained as a cost-saving measure.

In addition, the repairs to the networks of Mykolaiv CHPP, which have lasted almost four months, are expected to be completed by 15 October.