UPDATE2: Ukrenergo starts repairs at power line to Russia’s Crimea

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KIEV/MOSCOW/SIMFEROPOL, Nov 24 (PRIME) -- Ukrainian power holding Ukrenergo on Tuesday started repairs at one of the damaged power lines connecting Ukraine with Russia’s Crimea.

Crimea receives electric power via four lines from Ukraine. An explosion on November 20 damaged the power lines leaving the peninsula without electric power supplies and Crimea blockade participants prevented repairs at the power lines.

“We are now starting repairs at the Kakhovka–Titan power line. We have received permission for it from the blockade participants,” an engineer at Ukrenergo told PRIME. At present, situation around the power line is calm.

Ukrenergo plans to complete the repairs on Thursday, the company’s press secretary Zinovy Butso told PRIME.

After repairs of this power line Crimea could receive around 200 megawatts of electric power, but the blockade participants are ready for supplies only once their requirements are fulfilled, a source at the Russian Energy Ministry said.

Around 1.2 million people still have no electricity in Crimea, a source said.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry has sent 300 mobile power generators to Crimea, its representative said.

Crimea’s head Sergei Aksyonov has dismissed Fuel and Energy Minister Sergei Yegorov for non-fulfillment of his responsibilities and appointed Svetlana Borodulina as acting minister

Russia could cease coal supplies to Ukrainian power plants as one of possible retaliatory measures to Crimea’s blackout, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said.

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