Part of the city of Belgorod and the Belgorod region was left without electricity following a missile strike by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the local combined heat and power plant “Luch”. According to Russian Telegram channels, this is already the second CHP in the city that has been damaged in recent weeks.
This is reported by Finway
Damage to Energy Infrastructure After Missile Strikes
Previously, there were two main combined heat and power plants operating in Belgorod. A few weeks ago, one of them was put out of service, and after the latest strike, the CHP “Luch” is likely to have been affected as well. Reports indicate that gas turbine units, which supplied electricity to the city, were damaged during the attack.
“According to preliminary data, gas turbine units that generated electricity were damaged at the CHP ‘Luch’ during the missile strike. Prior to this, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed gas turbines at the Belgorod CHP – until today, ‘Luch’ remained the only CHP in the city that continued to operate,” writes the channel “Ashes. Belgorod”, adding that according to other information, only transformers were damaged, and electricity supply will be restored quickly.
Local Authorities’ Response and Impact on Residents
Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov indirectly confirmed the strike on the CHP, traditionally avoiding direct statements typical for Russian officials. He noted that the Russian air defense allegedly shot down aerial targets, and debris caused garage fires. However, he stated that several streets in the city and part of the Dubove settlement currently lack electricity. Over 20,000 residents remain without power.
At the same time, Gladkov did not clarify what exactly caused the large-scale power outage – whether it was the result of fires from debris or the work of Russian air defense. Despite claims of a quick restoration of electricity, at the time of preparing the news, many areas of the city and region remain without power.