Ukraine continues to restore its energy infrastructure, which has suffered massive destruction as a result of more than three years of full-scale war. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Olha Yukhymchuk during the high-level event “Energy Resilience and Green Recovery in Ukraine” held within the framework of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukrainee and theUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)).
In her speech, Olha Yukhymchuk noted that in 2024 alone, Ukraine lost 10 GW of generating capacity, half of which was restored thanks to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund and international partners. At the same time, the restoration of energy infrastructure continues, allowing supply disruptions to be minimized and the resilience of the energy system to be strengthened.
The Deputy Minister outlined the main tasks for ensuring stable passage of the heating season. “Our three key priorities are the protection and repair of critical infrastructure, the creation of strategic reserves, and the development of decentralized and green energy. This will help reduce the risks of blackouts,” she emphasized.
Olha Yukhymchuk stressed that decentralized generation based on renewable energy sources is not only a demand of the times but also a guarantee of Ukraine’s integration into the European energy market. Investments in renewable energy and modern technologies will help Ukraine become a regional energy hub.
At the same time, the Deputy Minister reminded that Ukraine has already taken a number of important steps toward “green” recovery. In particular, Law No. 9381 was adopted, strengthening the country’s energy resilience, as well as the Law “On the Principles of Green Recovery,” which obliges all public and private projects to comply with environmental criteria.
Thanks to UNDP support, renewable energy projects are being successfully implemented in Ukraine, including the installation of solar power plants in hospitals and communities. An initiative has been launched to attract up to USD 5 million in investments for 6 MW of solar capacity in 46 communities.
UNDP also supports local communities in strengthening the resilience of hospitals, schools, and water supply enterprises. These projects have already provided or are in the process of installing more than 475 MW of new and backup capacities. This means that more than 23 million Ukrainians will gain reliable access to energy.
Olha Yukhymchuk expressed gratitude to international partners for the assistance already provided and called for further cooperation. “Thanks to international support, we were able to restore lost capacity and strengthen energy resilience. But even greater challenges lie ahead, which will determine the security not only of Ukraine but of the entire region,” she concluded.
