In Poltava trolleybuses are increasingly stopping due to power outages, while buses and minibuses are going out on the routes instead. This was reported by the Poltava City Council, noting that the situation is related to the energy deficit following massive attacks by the Russian Federation on the energy infrastructure, writes "Suspilne Poltava".
As spokesperson for the city council Marina Serova explained, the municipal enterprise "Poltavaelectroavtotrans" has its own generator, which can ensure the operation of substations under critical conditions. At the same time, the city authorities emphasize that the number of buses and minibuses is sufficient to meet passenger needs, and the changes only concern the routes.
Why there is a problem with trolleybuses in Poltava
In 2024, "Poltavaelectroavtotrans" was included in the list of critically important enterprises of the region, but by 2025, part of its substations were removed from this list. As a result, trolleybuses cannot operate stably during power outages.
Currently, the city authorities together with KP "Poltavaelectroavtotrans", JSC "Poltavaoblenergo" and the military administration are looking for technical solutions to restore uninterrupted transport operation.
How much does it cost to modernize trolleybuses
According to the city council, only 52 out of 72 trolleybuses can be re-equipped for autonomous movement. The rest of the vehicles are outdated and cannot be modernized.
The estimated cost of re-equipping one trolleybus ranges from 4 to 11 million UAH. Full modernization of the entire fleet could cost the city budget between 208 and 572 million hryvnias.