Accident at the Angarsk CHPP: an emergency regime has been introduced in the city

On Monday, December 8, it became known about the accident at the thermal power plant in Angarsk, Irkutsk region. In connection with it, the heat supply to residential buildings was limited, and six schools were switched to distance learning. According to preliminary data, the situation may stabilize by December 10. Read more about the incident in the Izvestia article.

The accident at the Angarsk CHPP: what is known

A state of emergency has been introduced in Angarsk, Irkutsk region, after the accident at CHPP-9. It is reported that all services are on high alert.

"The emergency regime has been introduced in the Angarsk district in connection with the accident at CHPP-9. Heat supply is limited in 1,546 apartment buildings housing more than 167,000 people and 121 socially significant facilities," the local mayor's office said in a statement.

In addition, six schools have been converted to distance learning. Two more have junior classes studying remotely. In some preschools, the temperature dropped below 17 degrees, and therefore the children were temporarily transferred to other kindergartens.

The accident occurred the day before, on December 7. A boiler unit at the Baikal Energy Company's CHP-9 failed, and another boiler was reportedly shut down due to a malfunction a day earlier. According to the mayor's office, on Sunday evening, a backup boiler was started at CHPP-9 in order to reach peak conditions until Tuesday, when a cold front should arrive in the region. As RIA Novosti was informed by the mayor's office on December 8, one of the reserve boilers is being kindled, and the launch of the second one is also being prepared.

Verification of the IC and the Ministry of Energy

According to the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Irkutsk region, investigators are already conducting an inspection at the thermal power complex and are establishing all the circumstances of the incident.

"A procedural check has been organized under Part 1 of Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (provision of services that do not meet safety requirements) on the incident at a thermal power plant, which led to a drop in temperature in residential buildings in the city of Angarsk," the report says.

According to Sergey Petrov, the mayor of the Angarsk City District, in his Telegram channel, he and Igor Kobzev, the governor of the Irkutsk region, went to the CHPP in the morning to assess the situation, after which they held an unscheduled meeting of the regional commission for the prevention and elimination of emergencies and fire safety. It raised the issue that the Baikal Energy Company needs to take preventive measures to avoid utility collapses.

He also added that, according to the energy company, the situation will stabilize on December 10 by 15:00 (10:00 Moscow time — Izvestia).

After the incident, it became known that the region is ready to apply to the Ministry of Energy with a request for a technical inspection to assess the possibilities of the 2025-2026 heating season in Angarsk. This was announced by Igor Kobzev. He also added that the main task now is to prevent the heating system from defrosting.

Assistance to local residents and elimination of the accident

"We are prepared for the fact that due to the lowering temperatures we may have difficulties in social institutions and residential buildings. Temporary accommodation facilities for 6 thousand people have been deployed. I really hope that it won't come to using them. All services are on high alert," wrote Sergey Petrov.

In medical institutions where the temperature is lowered, heaters are used, and patients are given extra blankets.

According to Oleg Prichko, General Director of the Baikal Energy Company, all the necessary work has been organized at the moment.

"Three boilers will be taken out of emergency and scheduled work today and tomorrow, and we will cope with the situation by the 10th, the heat carriers will be at the set temperature," he said.

Weather in Angarsk

According to Yandex Weather, at the time of the article's publication, it was -15 degrees in Angarsk. At night, the air temperature may drop to -23. On the 9th, a cold snap is expected in the city: in the afternoon it will be -23, and in the morning and at night from -27 to -31 degrees.

On December 10, when the situation at CHPP-9 in Angarsk improves, the same weather is expected as the day before.