To get through the winter, Ukraine needs emergency support from the energy system of the European Union and the purchase of 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in his video address to the participants of the international conference in France on the reconstruction of Ukraine and assistance in passing through this winter, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
Zelenskyy reported that most Ukrainian power plants, all hydroelectric plants and all thermal power plants were damaged or destroyed by Russian shelling.
According to him, at least EUR 1.5 billion are needed for only the superficial quick restoration of Ukrainian energy facilities destroyed by Russian strikes.
He also reported that every day, energy companies have to disconnect millions of Ukrainians from the supply due to a critical shortage of electricity in the general energy system, and right now about 12 million people in almost all regions and the capital of Ukraine are disconnected.
Zelenskyy noted that, in fact, in Ukraine, a decentralized system of energy generation is being built very quickly in all regions, parallel to the main one, but still it cannot meet all of Ukraine's needs.
He said that before the end of this heating season, Ukraine needs emergency support from the European energy system.
"At least until the end of this heating season in Ukraine, we need emergency support from the European energy system, that is, the supply of electricity from EU countries to Ukraine in the amount of up to 2 gigawatts. To make this possible, the European network of operators of the electricity transmission system must decide to increase the imported capacity. Such support in the supply of electricity can cost about EUR 800 million in current prices. This is significant. But significantly less than what a blackout in Ukraine can cost us all," he said.
Zelenskyy called on the participants of the conference to agree on a decision to support the supply of electricity to Ukraine from EU countries.
He also noted that due to the destruction of power plants by Russian terrorists, Ukraine is forced to use more gas this winter than expected.
"As a result, we need support for the purchase of about 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas," he said.
The President also noted that Ukraine needs help with energy equipment - these are transformers, equipment for restoring high-voltage networks, gas turbine and gas piston power units.
Zelenskyy called on the EU, by analogy with the IAEA observation missions, which are agreed to be sent to all nuclear power plants of Ukraine, to send special missions to critical energy infrastructure facilities that are involved in Ukraine's energy supply and on which the stability of the entire region directly depends.
The President also called for support for the project to purchase LED lamps for Ukraine. He noted that 50 million such lamps will save about 1 gigawatt of electricity, and considering that the average deficit of the Ukrainian energy system is about 2.5 gigawatts, this project should also help significantly.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Zelenskyy in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Joseph Biden on December 11 announced the destruction by Russia of about 50% of the Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
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