OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2014. 5 consortiums of Ukrainian towns are to receive Eur 4 mln technical assistance from the German international cooperation bureau (GIZ).

“One of the strategic tasks of the Government is use of best work experience in management the regions and introduction of energy saving technologies. Today on support of the Government 5 consortiums of Ukrainian towns have signed a memorandum with German international cooperation bureau to introduce the project Energy efficiency in the communities. In the framework of this project GIZ will provide to Ukrainian towns the technical assistance to the tune of Euro 4 million,” Vice Prime Minister Olexandr Vilkul said during the ceremony of signing the memorandum.

He noted that in the previous year owing to introduction of energy saving technologies, gas consumption for heat energy generation by Ukrainian communal heat enterprises had been reduced by over 6%. In the regions there were realized dozens of projects directed to energy saving. Presently, Ukraine has been realizing 4 huge projects with the total cost of over UAH 3 billion with certain international financial organizations (IFO).

The Government conducts work in preparation to realization 5 more joint with IFO projects on modernization of housing and communal services branch to the tune of almost UAH 10 billion. The projects are directed to introduction of energy saving technologies, improvement of quality of municipal infrastructure in the towns of Ukraine that is water supply systems, heating supply, energy effectiveness of residential buildings.

“Our strategic partners in the process of introduction of energy efficient technologies and modernization of housing and communal services are German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and German Bureau of international cooperation we collaborate in the framework of international technical assistance. I personally thank the Ambassador of Federal Republic of Germany Christof Weil for the constructive dialog and support of our initiatives,” Olexandr Vilkul said.

The country director of the GIZ in Ukraine Holger Neuweger said: “I thank to Ukrainian Government for the mutual understanding and cooperation. I want to especially evaluate the activity of Ukrainian regions in introduction of energy saving measures.  It is very important as just the regions appear real engines of development of the country. Signing of the memorandum for introduction of the project Energy Effectiveness in the communities will give an impetus not only to the economic development of Ukrainian regions but the social area. Germany will continue supporting the development projects in Ukraine”.

In particular, last year the GIZ project Energy Efficiency in buildings was completed in 4 towns of Ukraine (Chernihiv, Ivaano-Frankivsk, Myrhorod, Novograd-Volynsky). Olexandr Vilkul noted the work was prolonged over realization in Ukraine of 3 more projects: Energy efficient construction in Kyiv, Improving municipal services in 8 towns of Luhansk region. Moreover, the joint with GIZ project called Municipal Development and Rehabilitation of the Old City of Lviv is being realized. Further development of Ukraine’s cooperation with GIZ appears the project Energy efficiency in the communities the memorandum on introduction of which was signed by the towns participants on February 6, 2014.