Kyiv could order evacuation if CHP plants destroyed, expert warns

Ukraine has sufficient gas reserves to get through the 2025–2026 heating season, but due to possible enemy strikes on heating facilities, some households may temporarily lose heat.

Energy expert Oleksandr Kharchenko said this during the press conference “Fall-winter period: Can we count on heat and light in homes?”

According to him, even despite constant Russian attacks aimed at destroying Ukraine’s gas production infrastructure, fuel reserves remain sufficient. The expert is confident: heating companies will be able to ensure stable operation of the systems, and no resource shortage is expected.

“A much bigger problem is attacks on heating facilities. There are real risks here. They objectively exist. Attacks have already taken place and will continue. Therefore, it is now very important for cities with central heating systems to have a Plan B. Each district, each building must have an action plan in case a thermal power plant or a boiler house supplying a particular area is destroyed,” Kharchenko said.

He explained that despite confidence in sufficient gas volumes, by the end of the season the storage facilities may become significantly empty. “Gas storages will be dry again,” the expert predicts.

Kharchenko stressed that the main threat lies precisely in possible destruction of infrastructure, not in lack of resource. Therefore, local authorities need to have developed action scenarios in case heat and power plants or boiler houses fail. Such backup plans, according to him, may include switching the heating system to alternative schemes or temporarily lowering the temperature of the heat carrier to prevent buildings from freezing.

“Or, if possible, to keep certain reserve or mobile boiler units. There must be connection points for them in every district, so that if something happens, they can be quickly connected and provide such thermal assistance,” the expert added.

At the same time, Kharchenko drew attention to the need to prepare for the worst-case scenario — a situation where it will be impossible to restore the heating networks after a strike. In that case, cities must have a clear algorithm of actions to preserve housing stock and ensure residents’ safety.

“If a thermal power plant in Kyiv is disabled, and within three days at –10 °C or lower there is no prospect of restoration, then Kyiv must announce:

a) drainage of water from buildings;

b) evacuation.

If at CHP-5 or CHP-6 the boilers are destroyed and there is no prospect that they will resume work within three days, this is a situation of a technological disaster,” Kharchenko stressed.

He also explained that if water in the systems is not drained, the pipes may burst due to freezing, and then the damage will be irreversible.

“If water remains in the system, it will simply burst them, and this cannot be repaired,” the expert summarized.