Ukraine Energy Support Fund raises some 410 mln euros from 13 countries - PM

MOSCOW. April 24 (Interfax) - The Ukraine Energy Support Fund has raised around 410 million euros from 13 partner countries along with the announced contributions, Ukrainian media cited Prime Minister Denis Shmygal as saying at a government meeting on Tuesday.

"We have been using this money to buy generators, transformers, spare parts and to carry out intensive repairs," Shmygal said.

In addition, the United Kingdom has announced a package of more than $180 million to help strengthen the Ukrainian energy sector. Lithuania, in turn, is donating equipment from its own thermal power plants, nuclear power plants and warehouses. Germany is sending 400 generators.

"Eighty cogeneration units have been distributed among the regions. First and foremost, they will be sent to Kharkov, where the situation is critical," Shmygal said.

Ukraine is going to act promptly and intensively to deploy a network of small heat and power plants to have a safety margin at the start of the next heating season, he said.

Energy sector specialists are doing everything possible to keep the situation under control and conduct all necessary repairs, Shmygal said, calling on Ukrainians to use electricity sparingly to help the energy system. He also urged industrial enterprises to use imported electricity as much as possible and to resort to alternative energy sources, if available.

"We have suffered heavy losses in terms of generation, and now this is affecting the power system, as air temperatures drop. We have been recording a capacity shortage for several days already, covering it with the help of our European partners," Shmygal said.