Residents of a Dagestani village complained of regular power outages

Regular power outages and low voltage in the electrical grid are creating problems for residents of the Dagestani village of Verkhneye Kazanishche, and appeals to the authorities have been unsuccessful.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," on December 13, gusty winds caused power outages in 21 settlements across seven districts of Dagestan, including the Buinaksk District. Power was restored by 2:00 PM Moscow time on December 15 .

A local resident, who did not provide his name, complained to the "Caucasian Knot" on Telegram about regular power outages in the village of Verkhneye Kazanishche on December 14. "The power goes out almost every day in the Buinaksk District, in the village of Verkhneye Kazanishche. They don't replace old electrical wires and poles in the summer, but they do in the winter. They recently installed transformers, but they all burned out. We were getting 90 volts, but we're paying for 220... So many people's appliances have burned out because there's no 220 volts," he wrote.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was unable to contact the author of the appeal, but other residents of Verkhneye Kazanishche confirmed the urgency of the problem.

The washing machine doesn't work without electricity, and four children means a mountain of laundry every day.

Zarema, a mother of four , said regular power outages are putting her family in a difficult situation. "I'm home with four children—the eldest is 12, the youngest is only one year and three months old. My husband works in the city and comes home late, so I'm left to manage everything alone. But how can I cope when the power goes out for a whole day, sometimes even two, every week? I can't do my laundry; the washing machine doesn't work without power, and with four children, that's a mountain of laundry every day. I've called the power company a dozen times—it's no use. They either don't answer, or they say they'll be back soon and then disappear," she said.

According to the woman, a power surge caused damage to her neighbor's appliances. "Recently, a neighbor's refrigerator burned out due to a power surge when the power was turned back on after a long outage. We're afraid something will break because of them, too. Our voltage is so low. The power grid says they don't have the money for new wires and poles. So, it's us, the ordinary people, who suffer," the village resident complained.

I can't explain to a client that I don't have power the next day.

Ismail , 29, said he can't work full-time due to power outages. "I work remotely as a product manager for marketplaces, writing product descriptions. My job requires stable internet and electricity 24/7. I can't explain to clients that I don't have power every other day. The power goes out every week, without exception, and without warning. I can be sitting working, have a deadline in an hour, and then the power goes out for the entire day. My computer shuts down, and if I don't save my work, I lose hours of work. My laptop has a battery, but it lasts a maximum of three hours, and the power can be out for two days. The internet relies on electricity: no power, no internet," he said. 

He noted that he had contacted the village council and the Electric Grid regarding the problem. "The village council says it's not their fault. I called the Electric Grid, but it was no use. The dispatcher doesn't even understand what remote work means, saying, 'Just be patient, we'll get it back on soon.' I'm thinking of leaving the village because it's impossible to work normally here... But my family is here, my parents are elderly, and I don't want to leave them. It seems I'm a hostage to this situation," Ismail complained.

Power outages have become regular in recent years.

Power outages often occur during strong winds, said 67-year-old Shamil , a resident of the village . "I've lived in Verkhneye Kazanishche my whole life, but the last few years have been marked by constant power outages. They're especially common in winter: the slightest wind, the slightest rain, and they're out for the entire day, sometimes even several days. The electricity is so weak that the TV doesn't work properly, the refrigerator barely runs, and there's not enough voltage. We pay full price for 220 volts, but we only get 90, and not always. I've called the Electric Grid about 30 times over the past two years, but it's no use. They either don't answer the phone or make promises and don't deliver," he said.

They come, make promises, take photos and leave, nothing changes.

The villagers' appeals to various authorities have yielded no results, the man noted. "The entire village has appealed to the district head and to the local council. They come, make promises, take photos, and leave, but nothing changes. I'm already old, but I feel bad for my grandchildren; they're growing up in such conditions, as if we weren't living in Russia," Shamil said.

Pensioner Patimat Razutdinova also said the problem has been going on for the past few years. "The problem has been going on since 2022. We've been talking about it constantly. Every year, as soon as winter arrives, they start repairs. In the summer, they do nothing; you won't see a single employee. Where's the logic?" she asked.

We don't do this kind of work in the summer because there's no need for it.

The repair work is related to power outages, a representative of the district power grid told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "This is unscheduled work, necessitated by weather conditions. We don't carry out such work in the summer because there's no need," he said.

A lawyer described the procedure for receiving compensation for equipment breakdowns.

Residents have the right to demand compensation for equipment damage caused by a power outage, according to lawyer Nikolai Shimansky . "Residents have the legal right to demand compensation through several mechanisms. First, it's necessary to document the breakdown—call an independent expert or a service center specialist who will draw up a malfunction report indicating the cause (such as a power surge or outage). This document is critical for further action," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

A class action lawsuit from several residents will be more effective.

People can then file a claim with the district's power grid demanding compensation under Article 15 of the Russian Civil Code ("Compensation for Damages"), the lawyer continued.

"You need to attach an expert report, receipts for the equipment, and evidence of low voltage. This could include neighbors' readings or a photo of the voltmeter. Send it by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt. If they refuse or ignore it within 30 days, then file a lawsuit for damages. Experience shows that such cases are won with documentary evidence of a connection between the energy company's actions and the breakdown. A class action lawsuit from several residents will be more effective," explained Nikolai Shimansky.