OREANDA-NEWS. A fire broke out at power unit transformer No. 11 of DTEK Luganskaya TPP on 9 October at 18:08. DTEK's power teams and firemen put it out at 20:50. The plant continues to operate on three power units. Even in the challenging conditions DTEK crews are doing everything to ensure a stable electricity supply in Lugansk Oblast. DTEK calls on all the warring parties to stop shelling the plant and urges the Ukrainian military to change the way they protect the power facility.

The fire resulted in the burnout of the plant's transformer that needs to be replaced. The cause of the blaze is being established at the moment.

The shellfire that followed led to six power workers and one militant being injured; all of them received medical care.

Today DTEK Luganskaya TPP continues to operate on three power units with a capacity of 445 MW for one million residents of Lugansk Oblast. The coal supplies to the plant have been scarce because of the railway bridge was blown up. As the cold weather set in, the electricity consumption in peak hours has grown. Electrical power is being transmitted over two out of twenty two high-voltage transmission lines as the rest have been damaged by the hostilities. Due to the lack of spare lines NPC "Ukrenergo" instituted rolling blackouts for electricity users in Lugansk Oblast.

"The shelling is only worsening the difficult power supply situation in Lugansk Oblast. The presence of the military at the premises of the plant creates additional risks and prompts fresh shellfire. The insurgents aim at the military but hit the plant and power workers that are not protected from shooting. It is necessary to change the way the power plant is being protected as it cannot serve as a stronghold. The plant can be protected only from outside. While the militants are staying at the premises of the power plant, a demolition hazard will last. Luganskaya TPP is being treated like the second Donetsk airport yet the consequences will be more severe," said Dmitry Sakharuk, Head of DTEK's Anti-Crisis Centre.

We remind that DTEK Luganskaya TPP alone has been providing electricity to the north of Lugansk Oblast since July as the region was cut off from Ukraine's electricity network because of the hostilities and damaged power lines. DTEK Luganskaya TPP has been operating at the minimum fuel level since the bridge was blown up near Kondrashevskaya station, which made coal deliveries impossible.

DTEK Luganskaya TPP has been in the hands of the 80th airmobile brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Aidar Battalion since 2 September, with some of the plant's facilities being mined by Aidar Battalion since 4 September. The power plant has been under fire many times. On 17 September, three transformers were alight and the plant stopped operating for several hours leaving one million citizens of Lugansk Oblast without electricity, water and internet connection.

Press office of DTEK will keep you informed about the current situation.