- The UK Government has unveiled plans to provide vital energy support to Ukraine through the Ukraine Electricity Network Support Taskforce.
- Portable generators will be sent to the country to support access to power for thousands of essential services in Ukraine, including hospitals and shelters.
- Donation comes in response to direct request from President Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko.
The UK will donate more than 500 mobile generators to help keep the lights on in Ukraine, the government has announced today.
The generators have been directly requested by President Zelenskyy and Ukraine's Ambassador to the UK in recent discussions with the Prime Minister and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.
They will provide much needed energy to essential facilities across Ukraine, including hospitals, shelters and water treatment plants which have lost power during the ongoing Russian invasion.
The UK Government has created a dedicated taskforce, including distribution network operators and the Energy Networks Association, to source and send the generators to Ukraine which could provide enough to power around 20,000 homes or equivalent buildings.
This will provide a timely boost to Ukraine's war efforts, safeguarding Ukrainian people's access to energy, ensuring that essential services can continue to run and weakening Russia's attempts to strike at Ukraine's power supply.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
We are seeing the tragic consequences in Ukraine from Putin's grave mistake every day, and we will continue to do everything we can to support Ukraine's resistance against this illegal invasion through economic, diplomatic and humanitarian measures, as well as providing defensive military equipment.
We will now be sending generators to ease the difficulties caused by the current power outages and help keep vital services running so the people of Ukraine can continue to defend their country.
Business & Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:
Sending portable electricity generators to Ukraine will help keep essential services running, weaken Putin's attempts to cripple Ukraine's power supply, and help support the extraordinarily brave Ukrainian response to the Kremlin's war waging.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said:
Putin's inhumane efforts to knock out Ukraine's power supplies are wreaking more misery on millions of innocent civilians. The UK is stepping up and providing generators that will keep hospitals running,and ensure the supply of food and water. We will keep the lights on in Ukraine.
We are playing a leading role in the humanitarian effort, delivering vital supplies and life-saving medical aid to help those Ukrainians most in need.
The generators will be provided by UK commercial suppliers, who will provide their available stocks of generators to the effort.
It is expected that suppliers will be able to deliver a large proportion of these generators to Ukraine via neighbouring countries.
The Ukrainian Government and the country's energy networks will distribute the generators to areas of need across the country, ensuring they reach those who need power the most.
Notes:
Members of the Ukraine Electricity Network Support Task Group include:
-
Energy Networks Association
-
Electricity North West
-
Western Power Distribution
-
UK Power Networks
-
Northern PowerGrid
-
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
-
Scottish Power Energy Networks
-
National Grid Electricity System Operator
-
National Grid Transmission System Operator
