Lights in the suburbs go out not only because of accidents: power engineers revealed the causes of planned blackouts

Residents of the Moscow region can be left without electricity even in clear and windless weather. As it turns out, accidents are not always the cause. The regional Ministry of energy reported that the power engineers periodically deliberately de-energize areas for scheduled work, reports REGIONS.

The experts emphasize that shutdowns are necessary for the safe maintenance of networks, replacement of worn-out equipment and modernization of substations. Risking the lives of workers and equipment when working under stress is unacceptable. The scope of such works directly depends on repair programs and the need to restore networks after previous accidents, so the light can disappear in any village.

The second reason is sudden disruptions caused by the weather. Strong wind falls trees on the wires, wet snow and ice tear lines, and the thunderstorm also does not pass without a trace. So, in April 2026, after a powerful cyclone, power engineers had to remove hundreds of fallen trees from the wires and repair damaged lines.

There are clear standards for consumers. For the third reliability category, no more than 72 hours of shutdowns per year and no more than 24 hours in a row are allowed. If more time is required for repair, the deadline is agreed with Rostekhnadzor. For the first and second categories, the limits are prescribed in the contract, but they are not higher than for the third. There are no restrictions for the fourth category.

If the lights are gone, first check whether it is just you or the whole house. Then call the management company or network organization. Disconnection information is published on websites.