Results of 2022-23 AWP: over 37,000 eliminated emergencies and 2.4 mln customer requests. DTEK explained how it managed to ensure electricity supply to the Odesa region during the most difficult heating season in the history of Ukraine
During the 2022-2023 autumn-winter period, DTEK Odesa Grids specialists raised the energy sector of the region from the scratch 6 times after shelling, eliminated over 37,000 emergencies in the grids of Odesa and Odesa region. 72 of them were large-scale emergencies that occurred after enemy attacks. Overall, the company has restored electricity to more than 1 million customers over that period. 206 crews of energy workers have been working round the clock to ensure reliable operation of the grid and conduct repairs.
Missile attacks caused damage of various scale to the Ukrainian energy system, creating a shortage of available electrical power in the Odesa region and causing 58 power shutdowns during the heating season. The most difficult situation was in the Odesa district, in the city of Odesa in particular, due to significant destruction of power facilities that power the district and the city.
In order to maintain operation of the country’s energy system and prevent larger destructions, the company has developed schedules of hourly shutdowns, thus ensuring electricity supply to the critical infrastructure facilities and fair distribution of electricity among customers. Schedules of stabilization shutdowns have been applied in the region for 96 days.
Besides, DTEK and Ministry of Energy have provided 46 powerful generators to ensure stable operation of the critical infrastructure of Odesa.
“Despite all difficulties of the year 2022 related to war, we managed to prepare the grids for getting through the most difficult winter in the history of Ukraine. Despite shelling and elimination of its consequences, 4,000 employees of DTEK Odesa Grids managed to upgrade 1,500 kilometers of power lines and over 1,000 power facilities, 4 of which are large high-voltage substations. DTEK was a reliable support for Ukrainians during the most difficult autumn-winter period in the history of Ukraine. We will continue to do everything in our power to be a support for Odesa region and the entire country,” – DTEK Odesa Grids General Director Dmytro Hryhoriev.
Due to the war and power outages, the number of requests to the company during the 2022-2023 autumn-winter period have increased more than twice. There were 2.4 million online requests and calls. For comparison, there were 1.1 mln during the same period last year. In order to process such number of requests we have added 50 more telephone lines and put 65 more operators on duty. At the same time, we put maximum effort to teach customers how to use company’s online services. Thus, number of company’s chatbot users has increased by 45% from 215,000 to 375,000, while the number of website visits has increased almost 3.5 times from 2.1 to 7.1 million. DTEK Odesa Grids online services make it possible to get required services remotely, without operator’s participation, personal visits and calls: conclude agreements, request connections, submit meter readings and file applications for repairs.
The most difficult autumn-winter period in Ukraine has passed but DTEK Odesa Grids have already started preparation for the next winter. In 2023, company’s specialists have planned, among other things, to repair and upgrade 100 kilometers of power lines and 842 power facilities, 8 of which are high-voltage substations, as well as to make a necessary stock of materials for restoration and repairs.
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