Сlear and sunny weather in Ukraine increases the productivity of solar power plants (SPPs). Therefore, energy companies are asking Ukrainians to shift the use of high-power electrical appliances to daytime hours, and conversely, to reduce energy consumption in the evenings to avoid shortages in the grid.
This was reported by “Ukrenergo.”
Solar factor
Due to the weather, daytime efficiency of solar generation has significantly increased. Residential SPPs lower energy consumption from the general grid, while industrial SPPs cause system overloading. As a result, Ukraine frequently experiences excess capacity in the energy system.
However, excess capacity is also harmful for power systems, and "green" generation often has to be curtailed by force.
“Every MW subject to these restrictions is paid for by National Power Company ‘Ukrenergo’ (NEC ‘Ukrenergo’) – as the company assigned by law with special obligations to renewable energy producers. In total, this means billions of hryvnias annually,” the company, whose shares are 100% state-owned, reported.
Energy balance
Household consumers can help prevent overloading of the energy system. For this purpose, “Ukrenergo” encourages reconsidering the timing of using high-powered appliances.
- From 10:00 to 17:00 in clear weather, solar generation reaches its peak. Therefore, it is best to run washing machines, dishwashers, irons, water heaters, and similar appliances during these hours.
- From 7:00 to 10:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00, the load on the energy system is at its highest. During these periods, energy specialists do not recommend switching on several powerful appliances at the same time.
- After 22:00, it is advisable to use as much energy as possible if the weather was cloudy during the day or there was a prolonged heatwave.
“Responsible electricity use by every consumer will help avoid excessive loads on the power system, additional costs from the ‘Ukrenergo’ tariff, and the risk of emergency situations in the grid,” the company emphasized.
EcoPolitic previously reported that in 2025, Ukraine installed another 1.5 GW of SPP capacity. This figure is double that of the previous year.
