The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through the USAID Energy Security Project, has provided 20 emergency vehicles worth about $4 million to help local governments and utilities promptly repair district heating networks damaged by Russia’s strikes on critical infrastructure in Bucha, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Zaporizhzhya, Vasylkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Lutsk, Odesa, Bila Tserkva, Brovary, Rivne, Poltava, and Ternopil. Each vehicle comes with digging, cutting, welding, and safety equipment to allow energy workers to quickly repair damaged infrastructure and ensure that Ukrainians have access to heat and hot water both now and during the next winter season.
Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has had a significant negative impact on the Ukrainian energy sector. Due to their economic, humanitarian, and geopolitical importance, Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities have been among the primary targets for Russia’s armed forces. Disruptions in power, gas, heat, and water supplies have significantly affected Ukrainians in targeted areas.
The vehicles USAID has provided through its Energy Security Project will help repair and restore destroyed heating networks and enable a stable heat and hot water supply to local communities. Each car has a set of modern equipment required to repair and maintain heating networks, including diesel and gasoline portable generators, an oil station, hydraulic equipment including a hammer, pump, polishing machine, jack, pneumatic plugs for pipe sealing, and other tools.
Before the handover, the USAID Energy Security Project trained the representatives of district heating companies (DHCs) – recipients of the aid from Bucha, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Zaporizhzhya, Vasylkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Lutsk, Odesa, Bila Tserkva, Brovary, Rivne, Poltava, and Ternopil – on how to use equipment installed on emergency vehicles.
This assistance, worth $4 million, is part of a larger $475 million package from USAID to repair, maintain, and strengthen Ukraine’s power and heating systems, including supporting energy workers in frontline oblasts.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States Government, through USAID and its Energy Security Project (ESP), is enabling the Government of Ukraine and energy companies to continue operating the electricity, gas, and heating networks. USAID ESP is leading the charge to restore the energy sector, rehabilitate critical infrastructure destroyed by Russia’s strikes, and build enhanced system resiliency. Hence, the Ukrainian people can access power, heat, and hot water.
About USAID in Ukraine: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the leading development agency of the U.S. government. USAID has partnered with Ukraine since 1992, helping Ukraine to build resilience against Russia’s aggression and advance its democratic and economic development. Currently, USAID implements 42 activities, responding to Ukraine’s immediate needs and advancing Ukraine’s long-term development as an independent, sovereign, democratic, and prosperous society. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war on February 24, 2022, USAID has provided $18 billion in direct budget support, $1.4 billion in humanitarian assistance, and more than $1.4 billion in development assistance.