International
Ukraine is committed to cogeneration and private production to face the winter
Less than two years after a first campaign of Russian attacks on the electricity system deprived millions of Ukrainians of constant energy supply for months, Ukraine has become accustomed to blackouts again this summer and is working in a hurry to avoid a second winter in the dark by boosting cogeneration and encouraging private production.
In addition to repairing the damaged infrastructures as soon as possible, and trusting that the new air defenses received will serve to protect them from possible additional attacks, the Ukrainian authorities are installing hundreds of cogeneration plants throughout the country to decentralize production and involve gas companies in the task.
“They are parallel processes,” Yuri Boiko, advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denís Shmigal, and member of the Supervisory Board of the national electricity company, Ukrenergo, tells EFE.
Boiko points out that, if it receives a sufficient boost, cogeneration will mitigate the effects of the electricity deficit on the population: “The more cogeneration is installed, the less charge the central energy system will have.”
The prime minister’s adviser warns, however, that the impact on the situation will depend on the number of cogeneration units that will be enabled in the coming months.
Part of these already functioning mini-power plants have been donated by Ukraine’s foreign partners.
The United States cooperation agency has delivered 91 cogeneration plants that will be installed in 32 cities throughout Ukraine and will provide a production capacity of 56.5 megawatts that will allow part of its critical infrastructures to operate.
The first 18 were installed at the beginning of this month and already generate electricity and thermal energy for Ukraine.
Unlike thermal power plants, which in Ukraine have been massively bombed by Russia to destroy 80% of the generation capacity by this method that the country had, cogeneration plants take advantage of the heat that is released when it comes to producing electricity and supply it to other infrastructures.
The cogeneration units that Ukraine is installing are of a relatively small size and can be moved relatively easily.
This allows them to be mounted next to buildings that can provide heating with the thermal energy they produce when generating electricity.
While conventional power plants are very difficult to defend from bombing, due to their large dimensions and the impossibility of changing their place, cogeneration units can be distributed throughout the territory, reducing the risk of concentrated blows to the generation capacity.
“In Ukraine, a few power plants and a dozen substations are still responsible for half of the electricity generation and transmission. Obviously, five or ten centrals are easy targets for the enemy. When we have hundreds of small power plants, it will be almost impossible to attack them with missiles,” said the head of the Parliament’s Energy Committee, Andrí Gerus, in a recent interview.
As revealed by President Volodymyr Zelensky during the conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine held in June in Berlin, where the Ukrainian electricity sector obtained numerous commitments of Western public and private aid, Kiev aspires to install 1 gigawatt of electricity production capacity by cogeneration this year.
In its eight massive attacks this year against Ukrainian power plants, Russia has destroyed about 9 gigawatts of the generation capacity that Ukraine had.
The Ukrainian gas and oil company Ukrainafta announced this month an ambitious project valued at one billion dollars to install, within three years, more than gigawatts of electricity production capacity through cogeneration from natural gas.
The company also develops wind and solar energy projects to contribute to the recovery of part of the electricity sector.
Another vector to produce more energy and relieve the burden on the power plants and substations that are being repaired is the promotion of own generation between companies, institutions and individuals.
On June 20, Zelenski ordered the authorities to install solar panels, accumulators and smart meters in all schools and hospitals.
The Ukrainian Parliament approved new tax exemptions for the purchase and imports of generators, batteries and solar panels with the idea of promoting the installation of their own generation capacities among citizens and reducing their dependence on a centralized system that remains in the crosshairs of Russian commanders.
The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine announced earlier this month the arrival in the country of about six thousand solar panels manufactured by the Italian company Enel and paid for by the European Commission that will serve to guarantee the uninterrupted supply of electricity to hospitals in five regions of the country.
Central America
Young actress Adriana Isabel Mojica dies in tragic accident in Torrelodones
Young actress and singer Adriana Isabel Mojica, 19 years old, died Thursday morning after being struck by a vehicle in Torrelodones, Spain, confirmed the town’s mayor.
“I am deeply shocked by the death of our young neighbor Adriana Isabel in this tragic accident. My heartfelt support goes to her family and friends during these terribly difficult times. Rest in peace,” posted Almudena Negro, Mayor of Torrelodones.
According to Spain’s El Mundo newspaper, the incident occurred on the A-6 motorway, at kilometer 31.5, at 7:35 a.m.
International
Salvadoran Day celebration returns to Dallas with cultural festivities and free admission
With great joy, Salvadorans residing in Dallas, Texas, will celebrate Salvadoran Day this Saturday, a festival that will bring together thousands of Salvadorans to revive the culture of our country.
The event will take place at the Levy Event Plaza in Irving, Texas. Admission is free, and it is one of the largest Salvadoran events in the United States.
The festival has been held for 25 years, starting in Los Angeles, California, and has expanded to other states, with Dallas hosting it for the second consecutive year.
“Last year, we celebrated it, and thank God it was a success. This year, we will feature our mythological characters, which we started implementing last year and want to continue. It will be a family event, and we want all Hispanics living in Dallas to join us,” said Evelyn Molina, the event organizer.
International
Panama boosts deportations of migrants through Darién gap amid significant drop in arrivals
The Panamanian government pledged on Tuesday to increase the number of deportations of irregular migrants arriving in the country through the Darién Gap, a dangerous jungle that connects with Colombia. The flow of migrants through this area dropped by more than 50 percent in August after President José Raúl Mulino promised to drastically reduce the influx.
“It is clear and evident that given the volume of people, it is difficult to say that we will deport about 500 per day, but we are improving logistics. We are at the beginning of this program,” said Minister of Public Security Frank Alexis Ábrego, as reported by the newspaper ‘El Siglo.’
Ábrego noted that repatriations are voluntary and depend on individuals who wish to return to their countries. He also mentioned the detection of criminals “sought by Interpol and police forces from Ecuador, Colombia, and other countries” who entered Panama through the Darién Gap.
“The goal is to cut off the passage of these criminals to the United States. Our primary interest is to protect our citizens from these criminals attempting to transit through our country; for example, in the last two months, we have detected two members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13, and the most recent one was already residing in our country,” he added.
Finally, he stated that the United States contributed approximately six million dollars to fund deportation flights as part of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.
Over half a million people crossed this area in 2023, where three crossings were closed in July to try to reduce or at least manage arrivals. The Biden administration has also sought cooperation from Panamanian authorities to control the migrant flow to its southern border with Mexico.
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