Critical infrastructure being repaired in 12 Ukrainian communities

• 12 communities are to repair and reconstruct damaged critical infrastructure with grant funding from the European Union.

• 245,000 Ukrainians are expected to benefit from the implemented projects.

• The Critical Infrastructure action will increase energy security and improve water supply services, wastewater treatment and energy efficiency in the supported communities and contribute to long-term sustainable development and the green transition in Ukraine.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has caused severe damage to water supplies, wastewater management, heating and electricity infrastructure, housing, schools and healthcare facilities. In December 2022, the European Union and Nefco announced an initiative for the reconstruction and repair of critical municipal infrastructure in Ukraine. The EUR 50 million action will be funded by the EU and managed by Nefco. Currently, initial activities are ongoing in 12 communities, including the technical design of the projects and procurement of contractors with support from Nefco. Several tenders are currently under evaluation and initial construction work is expected to start soon.

"Urgent action is needed to support reconstruction in Ukraine, and therefore it gives us hope to see that our work with Nefco, to repair critical municipal infrastructure in local communities badly damaged by Russia's full-scale aggression, will soon enter the construction stage," says Chloé Allio, Head of Operations Section  "Economic Cooperation, Energy, Infrastructure and Environment" for the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.

The main objectives of the action are to repair critical municipal infrastructure in local communities badly damaged during the hostilities, now back under the control of the Ukrainian government, to provide basic municipal services for inhabitants and increase the reliability and security of water, heat and electricity supplies and wastewater treatment as the war continues.

"We are working with communities in areas that suffered badly during the Russian invasion before being liberated. We are humbled by the opportunity to help these communities gradually return to normality and support their long-term green recovery," comments Ulf Bojö, Vice President Eastern Europe at Nefco.

In total, 12 severely damaged cities and urban villages in the Kyiv region, without the internal resources to design and implement reconstruction of critical infrastructure, have signed agreements with Nefco to receive grant funding from the EU. The supported communities are Borodyanka, Borschahivka, Dymer, Dmytrivka, Hostomel, Irpin, Ivankiv, Kalynivka, Nemishaieve, Piskivka, Slavutych and Velyka Dymerka.

Depending on the critical reconstruction needs identified for each project, the following measures will be implemented in the communities:

• Repair and modernisation of district heating systems
• Repair of water supply systems
• Repair and modernisation of wastewater treatment systems

"We have started the preparation work in all the selected communities with the aim of repairing and improving municipal services and implementing more energy-efficient and sustainable solutions. We will repair parts of the water supply networks and/or heating services in the supported communities. Construction work is in its initial phase in first projects," explains Ronny Nilsson, Senior Advisor and coordinator of the action at Nefco.

To build capacity, the communities and their project implementation units are receiving technical assistance throughout the project implementation phase. This includes project design, preparation of financial plans and procurement support from Nefco and contracted consultants – CES-Clean energy solutions in association with iC Consulenten and Urban Technology Alliance (UTA). 

The supported projects related to critical infrastructure aim not only to repair damaged infrastructure but also to modernise it and significantly increase its energy efficiency. 

This action is funded by the European Union and managed by Nefco. Nefco is committed to working towards a green recovery in Ukraine together with its Nordic owners and the EU to ensure that Ukraine is built back greener and better. In addition to this action, Nefco is currently managing five more programmes funded by the EU, including supporting the modernisation of water supply systems, the implementation of energy-efficiency measures in public buildings and street lighting networks and the construction, reconstruction and renovation of public buildings to support urgent housing needs for internally displaced persons (IDPs).