Ukraine's Ministry of Energy and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched the Ukraine Energy Installation Facility (UEIF), the ministry said Tuesday.
According to the Energy Ministry, the facility is a nationwide platform that will help finance and coordinate the final stages of project implementation – engineering assessments, site preparation, equipment installation, grid connections, commissioning and quality control.
The decision to launch the facility was announced on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, and the project will be implemented over five years.
"Restoring our energy system requires speed, scale and precision. The… facility is a practical tool that will help turn international assistance into effective energy infrastructure," Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Denys Shmyhal said.
The support facility will be implemented in cooperation with state authorities and local governments, municipal utility operators, technical experts and private-sector representatives.
In turn, UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo said that international partners had helped provide Ukraine with critically important equipment, but equipment alone cannot supply electricity to hospitals, schools, water systems or businesses, it needs to be installed and commissioned quickly and on a large scale.
He explained that UEIF bridges the gap between equipment delivery timelines and the restoration of energy supplies.
"Building on UNDP's ability to implement projects at every stage, from preparation and engineering design to installation, commissioning and transparent reporting, the facility will help provide more reliable electricity, heating and water supplies for millions of Ukrainians," De Croo said.
