The Lithuanian Amber Grid and Litgrid, which are members of a state-owned group of energy transmission and exchange companies EPSO-G, are sending aid to rebuild Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Amber Grid and Litgrid have allocated equipment for the repair of damaged electrical substations and gas pipelines. Assistance to the Ukrainian electricity and gas transmission operators will be channelled through the non-governmental organisation Blue/Yellow.
After receiving Ukraine’s request for help, the electricity transmission system operator, Litgrid allocated equipment worth 74.800 euros: 110-330 kilovolts (kV) primary devices, current and combined transformers, isolators and separators and 330/110 kV autotransformer. Whilst the gas transmission system operator, Amber Grid is sending support worth 18.000 euros to its colleagues from Ukraine. This equipment will help to restore the damaged Ukrainian gas pipelines.
Support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure companies is collected and transported with the help of the Lithuanian Embassy in Ukraine and the Ministries of Energy and Transport and Communications. A part of this equipment has already reached Ukraine, which will help Ukrainian residents to restore the electricity supply to households.
“As Russia is deliberately destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, we received a request for help from our colleagues from the Ukrainian electricity transmission system operator Ukrenergo,” saidthe CEO of Litgrid, Rokas Masiulis. “We immediately assessed what equipment reserves we have and what we can transfer to our colleagues. Some of the equipment is already in Ukraine and will be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s high-voltage switchyards. We fully understand that a well-functioning energy infrastructure is very important to Ukrainians. It helps to fight at the front, develop the economy and light and heat homes. Therefore, we help and will help our fellow Ukrainians as much as we can, so that they can win this war.”
The CEO of Amber Grid Nemunas Biknius emphasised that the aid was selected taking into account the most necessary equipment indicated by the Ukrainian side.
“Since the beginning of the war, we know the challenges that people face working with the gas transmission system of Ukraine, they have to repair the pipelines broken by artillery despite the danger,” he said. “Gas leaks in the war pose a double threat of gas supply interruption and pipeline explosion. Therefore, quick repair of the pipelines is extremely important. Considering the needs of the Ukrainians, we are sending eight STOPKIT pipeline repair kits to our colleagues at war. This kind of material is the most suitable for quick “patching” of damaged gas pipelines.”
Moscow’s intensive bombing of Ukraine since mid-October caused significant damage to the electricity and gas transmission infrastructure. As a result, cities have temporarily faced gas and electricity cuts, with residents encouraged to consume less.
Other countries from the EU and the wider international community are also providing aid to restore Ukraine’s damaged energy infrastructure.
