Checkpoint in Reni suspends operations due to electricity problems

The Southern Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has announced a temporary suspension of crossing operations at the Reni checkpoint.

According to the Border Guard Service, this was due to the incorrect operation of the industrial power supply, which does not allow for the launch of control and metering devices, as well as problems with the operation of additional sources of generation.

"All urgent measures are currently being taken to restore the operation. Vehicles are being redirected to the nearest checkpoints to cross the state border.
The resumption of border crossing operations at the Reni checkpoint will be announced in the same post, follow the update," the State Border Guard Service said.

A Russian air attack in Odesa region on the night of November 11 resulted in one person being injured and a Ukrzaliznytsia depot being damaged. This time, the cities of Izmail and Reni came under attack. The latter is where the damaged depot is located. The city also lost power due to a fire at a substation. Local residents were told that the repairs would take up to two days. According to DTEK, 16,000 families were left without electricity.

Meanwhile, residents of Reni continue to complain about power outages and low voltage in the grid when the power is restored. They even launched a flash mob to take pictures and publish the data.

In his turn, Oleksandr Urbanskyi, deputy head of the Odesa regional council, said that Reni, unlike Izmail, receives electricity from Moldova. The line should be up to 10 kilometers long in order to transmit current without strong fluctuations. The existing line is approximately 30 kilometers long, and this is why there are power surges and frequent blackouts. Unfortunately, this situation cannot be technically changed. According to him, the Reniia substation is expected to be restored in about 7-10 days.

"This is a realistic timeframe, but not an easy one: the main problem is the lack of spare parts. Many elements of the old Soviet power system are no longer in production. During the first large-scale blackout, our partners helped us: it was then that Azerbaijan handed over to Ukraine everything it had in stock after its own modernization of the power system. These parts saved the country then. But today's massive enemy attacks have destroyed even those spare parts that were transferred earlier. There are no new components," said the deputy head of the regional council.

Earlier, residents of Reni complained to Intent that the repair of the electrical substation in Reni, Izmail district, Odesa region, which was damaged by the Russian attack, had been delayed for more than a week.

Кирило Бойко