MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denis Shmygal says the situation in the country’s energy sector is very difficult.

"The situation is extremely difficult. More than 9 GW of generating capacity has been lost," he wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that Ukrenergo, the country’s electric grid operator, has to cut power to save energy at times.

He also listed a number of measures being taken to stabilize the situation, such as decentralizing the energy system, enrolling international support and developing international cooperation, ensuring energy efficiency and responsible energy consumption.

In early May, due to energy shortages, Ukraine introduced restrictions on power consumption for industrial enterprises and called on people to refrain from using power-intensive devices during peak hours. But these measures proved to be insufficient and rolling blackouts were introduced.

Following the loss of numerous generating facilities and amid hot weather, Ukraine has dramatically increased electricity imports since early June. According to Ukrenergo, it planned to import 23,953 MW/h on June 4. Kiev said earlier that it was working with European partners to increase the capacity of interstate interconnectors, and power import.