Rebuilding Ukraine: Norway pledges over $100 mln to restore Ukrainian energy industry

Norway has set aside 1.1 billion Norwegian kroner (equivalent to around 105 million US dollars) to repair Ukraine's energy infrastructure in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

According to Ukrinform, the communications department of UNDP in Ukraine reported that.

As mentioned, the primary objective of this aid is to assist in the recovery of energy production capabilities in Ukraine while also supplying crucial facilities with backup power.

"The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Norwegian government will continue to deepen cooperation to restore the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, to create backup capacities for critical systems in the country," the message reads.

Key elements of the project:

• Installation of solar panels in schools and hospitals:

The project envisages equipping schools and hospitals with solar panels to provide backup power.

• Supply of additional capacities to the national power grid:

An additional 80 MW of power will be provided to the national power grid this winter as part of the agreement.

• Provision of heat and water for the population:

More than 1 million people can access heat and water thanks to the UNDP Energy Recovery Program.

• Industrial consumers:

In addition to citizens, energy support is also aimed at industrial enterprises that need a stable electricity supply to ensure uninterrupted work.

The permanent representative of UNDP in Ukraine, Jaco Cilliers, emphasized that restoring the energy infrastructure is a critically important task since many Ukrainian citizens are left without alternative means of heating and water supply.

He emphasized that UNDP is focused on restoring energy capacities and accelerating the transition to "green" energy, which is part of the country's long-term sustainable development strategy.

"The UNDP renewable energy program is a testament to our commitment to promoting "green" recovery and ensuring energy security for all Ukrainians," UNDP Permanent Representative in Ukraine Jaco Cilliers commented.

According to reports, the UNDP's multi-year energy program, which involves multiple donors, has two main goals:

• urgently repairing crucial energy infrastructure,
• and increasing the shift towards environmentally friendly energy sources.

For reference:

The foreign ministers of the G7 countries confirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's attacks on energy infrastructure. They called on the international community to increase aid to the country.

• The European Union (EU) will allocate a new humanitarian aid package to Kyiv totaling 40 million euros ($44.43 million).
• Denmark has decided to transfer 130 million Danish kroner (approximately 16.9 million euros or 19.5 million dollars) to Ukraine to restore its energy infrastructure after massive Russian attacks.
• Germany will provide Ukraine with an extra 100 million euros for the winter season.
• Sweden will allocate more than 40 million euros to purchase energy equipment.

In general, the G7 countries, as well as other partners, have raised more than $4 billion since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion to restore the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, which Moscow is trying to destroy.