Power outages and a decline in tourism have caused electricity consumption to plummet in occupied Crimea
In occupied Crimea, electricity consumption in July 2026 fell by 42% year-over-year. Against the backdrop of regular blackouts, attacks on energy infrastructure, and a sharp decline in tourist traffic, the energy crisis on the peninsula is deepening.
This was reported by The Bell, citing data from the Wholesale Electricity Market Trading System Administrator (ATS). According to the publication, during the first 20 days of July, electricity consumption in occupied Crimea decreased by 42% compared to the same period last year, and in Sevastopol—by 22%. Compared to the first 20 days of June, the figure on the peninsula also fell—by 28%.
The Bell attributes this to the energy crisis that has been ongoing since late May, following intensified strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on power generation and distribution facilities. At the end of June, the occupying authorities declared a state of emergency, and in July, power plants and substations were regularly targeted.
According to the publication, residents of nearly all Crimean cities are periodically left without power. In a number of districts, street lighting is being turned off due to power shortages, and generators are being delivered to settlements experiencing prolonged outages. At the same time, there are also difficulties in supplying them with fuel.
Against this backdrop, journalists estimate that the flow of tourists to occupied Crimea has decreased by more than 60%.
In addition, according to ATS data, planned electricity production in occupied Crimea (excluding Sevastopol) fell by 86% year-over-year during the first 20 days of July and by 60% in June.
The Bell also notes that a decline in electricity consumption is being observed in other regions of Russia as well, particularly in the Voronezh, Belgorod, and Rostov regions, as well as in the Krasnodar Krai. The publication attributes this trend to the fuel crisis following strikes on Russian oil refineries and the slowdown in Russia’s economic growth.
Source: The Moscow Times.
As a reminder, drones from the Unmanned Systems Forces have struck another 19 power substations in occupied Crimea and the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk Oblast over the past two days.
On the night of July 23, according to social media reports, power substations in Gaspra and near Feodosia were attacked in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
