Schools in Kyiv are preparing for winter and the switch to off-grid power
Preparations have begun in Kyiv to ensure educational institutions are ready for the 2026–2027 fall-winter period. The city is implementing comprehensive measures designed to ensure the continuity of the educational process even in the event of prolonged power and heating outages caused by Russian shelling.
This was announced by Valentyn Mondriyevskyi, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration, during a meeting with the heads of district state administrations and members of the relevant Kyiv City Council committee.
According to the Kyiv City State Administration, educational institutions are implementing hybrid backup power systems that combine generators, energy storage devices, and renewable energy sources.
“This allows for a quick switch to autonomous power in the event of emergencies or rolling blackouts,” the administration noted.
Currently, 802 educational institutions in Kyiv are equipped with generators, accounting for 85% of the total. The highest coverage rates are in the Dniprovskyi district (100%), as well as in the Sviatoshynskyi and Desnianskyi districts (97% each).
“Just recently, the city’s humanitarian headquarters delivered 341 generators with capacities ranging from 3 to 275 kW to the districts. This significantly strengthens the system, but some of the existing equipment lacks sufficient capacity for educational institutions to operate fully,” Mondriyevsky emphasized.
Separately, heating networks are being upgraded and radiators replaced in the capital. Some of the systems in schools remain outdated, creating risks of accidents during the winter, particularly the “thawing” of heating systems.
Educational institutions in the city’s central districts remain the most vulnerable.
The Kyiv City State Administration notes that the experience of the previous heating season demonstrated the need to strengthen the energy resilience of educational infrastructure. Despite a relatively stable start to the season, massive attacks on the energy system led to power and heat outages.
“We are operating under the realities of martial law… Our task is to ensure the uninterrupted operation of educational institutions,” Mondriyevsky noted.
According to him, the city is combining power generation, energy storage, and renewable sources so that schools can operate autonomously and ensure a full-fledged educational process even under crisis conditions.
