Thermal dependence

Moscow is talking again about limiting energy consumption

Climate anomalies such as the heat wave now established in the Russian capital, as well as bitter frosts, immediately call into question the potential of Moscow’s energy system. Trying to find salvation under air conditioners and fans, Muscovites are thereby overloading the city's energy networks. The capital's power engineers have already noted a significant increase in energy consumption this May - it is 8% higher than last year's figures for the last month of spring. Yesterday, information began to come in about minor emergencies - the Moscow Emergency Situations Department reported smoke damage at two dozen transformer substations in almost all administrative districts. According to the press secretary of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for Moscow, Evgeny Bobylev, “in the afternoon alone, more than 20 reports of smoke were received at substations and in transformer booths.” “However, in most cases, nothing serious happened there, and the help of firefighters was not required,” he said.

There are no serious power outages in the city, and in general the power engineers are trying to instill in Muscovites and city authorities the idea of ​​the need not to panic. Despite the heat, “energy systems are operating in a stable, trouble-free mode,” Margarita Nagoga, head of RAO UES of Russia’s media relations department, said yesterday. However, such calm is not characteristic of all representatives of the industry that supplies Moscow with electricity. Apparently, remembering the blackout two years ago , when half the city lost not only light, but also such amenities of civilization as water supply and sewerage, Moscow power engineers cautiously announced yesterday that starting today they will be forced to introduce restrictions in the supply of consumers. “Tomorrow, from 9 am to 4 pm, a decision has been made to limit energy consumption in the western direction by 44 MW,” Mosenergosbyt press secretary Sergei Kozlovsky told Vremya Novostei. For comparison: in January last year, when temperatures dropped to minus 35 degrees, restrictions amounted to more than 600 MW.

It is noteworthy that representatives of various companies formed during the reform of the energy sector tend to explain the reasons for introducing restrictions not so much as abnormal heat, but as technological need. “As part of the preparation for the commissioning of the Matveevskaya substation, one circuit of the high-voltage line Ochakovo-Presnya-1 was disconnected,” Ms. Nagoga explained to Vremya Novostey. “To avoid overloading the second circuit of this line, the dispatcher decided to introduce restrictions on consumers in the non-domestic sector.” At the same time, Mr. Kozlovsky clarified that the decision on the need for such restrictions will be made literally in a day - based on an analysis of information about the weather and electricity consumption forecasts. And the press secretary of the Moscow United Electric Grid Company (MOESK) Alexander Shapochkin also refers to the need to carry out scheduled repairs. “This year, the hot weather coincided with the summer time for repairs, because equipment can only be repaired in the summer,” he told Vremya Novostey.

At the same time, all representatives of energy companies emphasize that the restriction will not affect ordinary Muscovites, and socially significant institutions will not feel it. Only minor enterprises will be subject to “downsizing”. “Who would raise his hand against ordinary consumers!” - assured Mr. Shapochkin.

Nevertheless, the very idea that the comfort of millions of residents of the capital and the stability of the work of city enterprises are directly dependent on an increase in air temperature by several degrees is not liked not only by Muscovites, but also by representatives of the capital’s authorities. Officials of the Moscow mayor's office have not yet had time to react to the actions of power engineers who are planning to introduce restrictions, and deputies happily used the opportunity to point out the “vicious path of reforms in the electric power industry.” “Muscovites are becoming hostages of the insane energy policy being pursued in the city - they are forced to pay for an inefficient system that does not work,” Yabloko member Sergei Mitrokhin, a member of the Moscow City Duma Commission on Urban Affairs and Housing Policy, told Vremya Novostei. “The strategy for developing the city’s energy system is old – giant producers for giant consumers.”

Kirill MELNIKOV