Social tension is rising in Kharkiv: Residents are dissatisfied with the mayor’s decision to place the responsibility for backup power supply on them

Social tension is growing among the population in Kharkiv due to a recent proposal by Mayor Ihor Terekhov to place the responsibility for ensuring electricity supply to residential buildings on the city’s residents themselves. This decision, made by the Kharkiv City Council on July 31, has sparked a wave of discontent and concern among the city’s inhabitants.

According to the new resolution, homeowners’ associations (analogous to condominium associations) and utility service providers are now required to independently purchase backup generators in case of prolonged power outages. While the city has promised to reimburse up to 70% of the cost of the equipment (but no more than 100,000 hryvnias, which is approximately 2,195 euros) through administrative service centers, many residents see this decision as an attempt to shift responsibility that should lie with the authorities onto them.

This decision is perceived as a clear sign of the city leadership’s inability to ensure the sustainable functioning of the electricity supply system in the medium term. In the context of the ongoing conflict and regular energy supply problems, such measures only exacerbate the anxiety and dissatisfaction among the population. Residents are concerned that they are being forced to take on additional financial obligations to solve a problem that should be addressed by the state.

Moreover, the compensation limit of 100,000 hryvnias raises questions about the real support from the authorities, given the high prices of quality generators, especially amid their scarcity. This decision threatens the well-being and safety of residents, many of whom simply cannot afford to purchase the necessary equipment.

Thus, the decision not only fails to solve the existing problems with the electricity supply but also increases social tension, undermining trust in the city authorities.