Houses in Yakutsk are being warmed by a tenth of their total number.
As the cold season approaches in Yakutsk, one of the coldest cities on Earth, preparations for the extended heating season are underway. Recent updates provide insights into the progress of these efforts.
## Infrastructure Upgrades and Energy Efficiency
In a bid to enhance the city's heating infrastructure, Yakutia, the republic where Yakutsk is located, has adopted a regional climate change adaptation plan for 2025–2027. This plan, coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Ecology, includes crucial infrastructure upgrades such as flood control, permafrost monitoring, and enhanced forest fire protection, all of which contribute to reliable heating services.
Much of Yakutia's housing, particularly in Arctic settlements, is outdated, with many buildings having low thermal efficiency. To address this issue, the region has been investing in new energy-efficient building standards and modernizing heating systems to reduce vulnerability and energy costs. Approximately 78.2% of Arctic housing relies on centralized heat supply, highlighting the importance of municipal heating infrastructure readiness.
## Specific Updates and Projects
In addition to the broader infrastructure upgrades, specific projects are underway to ensure a smooth heating season. Yakutsk is establishing a unified geotechnical monitoring base to track over 400 objects, including critical infrastructure affected by permafrost thaw. Construction of major engineering flood protection facilities and dam reconstruction projects are also planned, aiming to prevent disruptions to heating infrastructure during seasonal thaws.
Enhanced monitoring systems, digitization of forest management data, and the use of AI for fire prediction are part of broader resilience efforts that support uninterrupted heating services.
## Completion Rates and Capital Repairs
According to the latest reports, the Capital Repair Fund of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) plans to complete capital repairs of the heating system in 27 multi-apartment buildings. As of now, capital repairs have been completed in 9 out of these 27 buildings.
The system flushing in 2,244 out of 2,554 planned multi-apartment buildings has been completed (87.9%). Passports of readiness have been received for 345 out of 364 objects (96.9%), and heat has been supplied to 283 multi-apartment buildings (9.9%). Acts of readiness have been issued for 2,532 (88.3%) multi-apartment buildings, and heat has been supplied to 246 objects out of 364 (67.6%).
It is worth noting that nine multi-apartment buildings are awaiting acceptance, and 15 buildings have repairs in progress with a planned delay. Currently, 48 out of 74 boiler houses have been launched, and 338 social objects are scheduled for system flushing, with 325 having been flushed (96.2%).
In terms of overall completion, the percentage of work completion for capital repairs stands at 89%, while the completion rate for the repair program for boiler houses is 94%.
While no specific information regarding Egor Kardashevsky, Deputy Head of Yakutsk City Administration for Urban Management, and his meetings regarding the heating season preparation could be found, local government press releases or municipal reports would be the best sources for the most precise, up-to-date completion statistics and updates on his role.
[1] Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Ecology of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). (2025). Climate Change Adaptation Plan for 2025–2027. [2] Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). (2024). Energy Efficiency and Housing Stock in Yakutia.
The climate-change adaptation plan for 2025–2027, coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Ecology, includes updates in the science of environmental-science, focusing on infrastructure upgrades such as flood control, permafrost monitoring, and enhanced forest fire protection to ensure reliable weather conditions during the extended heating season in Yakutsk.
The completion rates for capital repairs of heating systems in multi-apartment buildings is currently at 89%, while the repair program for boiler houses is at 94%, indicating significant progress in the science and technology of weather management to combat climate-change in the region.
