Ukrenergo preparing tender to buy equipment under $240 mln World Bank grant
MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax) - The Ukrenergo grid operator is preparing a tender as part of a $240-million grant under an agreement with the World Bank to procure equipment and special hardware to repair energy infrastructure facilities, the company's CEO Vladimir Kudritsky said.
"We have signed an agreement and are preparing a corresponding tender to procure equipment and special hardware for Ukrenergo as part of this grant," Ukrainian media quoted Kudritsky as saying at a press conference in Odessa on Thursday.
As reported, Ukrenergo, the Energy Ministry, the Finance Ministry of Ukraine and the World Bank signed two agreements on July 18 to provide $240 million in grant assistance to the Ukrainian company to ensure the stable operation of the power grid.
Under the first agreement, Ukrenergo will receive funds from the German government that will be directed to the purchase and installation of special devices that increase the stable operation of the Ukrainian power grid - STATCOM.
The second document envisages the transfer of financial assistance to Ukrenergo for the purchase of special equipment, autotransformers and other high-voltage equipment.
The throughput capacity of the Ukrenergo's grid currently stands at about 70%-80% of what it was last year, Kudritsky said.
"It is a very rough estimate, because there are no precise methods for measuring the extent to which the grid has been restored. Our estimate indicates that the throughput capacity of Ukrenergo's grid is approximately 70%-80% of what it was last year, and we continue to raise it," he said.
However, it is physically impossible to repair 100% of the damage caused to the energy system, including both Ukrenergo facilities, generation capacity and power distribution networks, Kudritsky said.
"Therefore, we should wisely distribute the resource, including financial resources, in order to repair as many facilities as possible. It concerns both generation and the power grid," he said.
The level at which the region's critical infrastructure is provided with autonomous power supply capabilities is quite high today, he said.
"The number of critical infrastructure facilities provided with backup power supply is quite serious both in the Odessa region and other regions that we have already visited," Kudritsky said.
Kudritsky described the presence of critical infrastructure equipped with power generators as an important element of stability for every region.
However, it is impossible to install power generators at all critical infrastructure sites, he said.
"There are facilities that need 10-15-20 MW of capacity, and such a generator is impossible to find," Kudritsky said.
An Ukrenergo team has been visiting Ukrainian regions as part of preparations for the 2023-2024 heating season to coordinate measures with the local authorities. The company's specialists have already visited the Dnepropetrovsk and Kharkov region, among others.