Major heating outage affects seven districts of Gdańsk and Sopot due to power plant failure, prompting crisis measures.
Major Heating Outage in Tricity
On Monday, February 2, seven districts of Gdańsk and Sopot were left without heating due to a failure at a combined heat and power plant. In response, a crisis management team has been convened in Gdańsk. During a press conference, authorities announced the cause was a leak in one of the power plant’s elements. A representative from the power plant stated that the supply temperature of the heating network is 10-15 percent lower than normal and that the network will likely return to full capacity by Wednesday, February 4. Until then, temperatures in some homes may be noticeably lower. The most significant heating problems were reported in Gdańsk’s districts: Żabianka, Oliwa, Strzyża, Stogi, Śródmieście, Orunia Dolna and Górna. In response, Gdańskie Przedsiębiorstwo Energetyki Cieplnej is allowing residents of Gdańsk and Sopot to rent heaters and fans.
Repair Work Underway
“We want the temperature throughout the city to be bearable and acceptable. We are doing everything possible to ensure people have heat in their homes. This is the entire plan, which involves shutting down certain facilities. Yes, there will be no heating in some homes today. We have also recommended which facilities can be disconnected. The situation will probably be difficult until Thursday,” stated Marcin Lewandowski, President of GPEC, during the conference. “That 100 megawatts sounds like a lot, but the remaining 700 megawatts will provide acceptable conditions for several days,” he added. The biggest problems will be in districts located at the end of the network. This is why our neighbors in Sopot will also not have heat,” said Gdańsk’s Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz.
Schools Implement Remote Learning
Authorities of Gdańsk announced that 12 public schools have their own heating systems, so classes in these institutions will continue without changes. These are: Primary School No. 59, X General High School, State Primary Music School, Primary School No. 40, Primary School No. 84, Primary School No. 62, Primary School No. 82, Primary School No. 83, Primary School No. 86, Primary School No. 88, and the School-Kindergarten Complex consisting of: Kindergarten No. 61, Primary School No. 87 and Special Primary School No. 28. In other institutions, temporary solutions have been implemented. In the coming days, education in secondary schools will take place remotely. “Until Thursday, we are introducing remote learning in secondary schools. In each primary school, we will organize care for children,” informed Dulkiewicz. She also added that “kindergartens and public nurseries are functioning normally.” Places where it will be colder will receive additional heat sources. Authorities in Sopot also announced the cancellation of in-person classes in all primary and secondary schools.
