Kyiv, 11 June 2024 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with generous funding from the governments of the Republic of Korea and Iceland, delivered 40 high-voltage bushings to National power company Ukrenergo.

A bushing is a vital component in power generation, transmission, and distribution systems. Despite its comparatively small size relative to transformers or other transmission infrastructure, it plays a pivotal role in ensuring a reliable power supply to urban and rural areas. If a bushing is damaged, energy cannot reach consumers, even if the transformer is functioning correctly.

Thanks to the contribution of the government of Iceland, Ukrenergo has received 15 high-voltage bushings of the 330kV voltage class.

The government of the Republic of Korea provided 25 bushings of the 750kV voltage class – the maximum transmission voltage used in Ukraine. The Republic of Korea is amongst the few countries in the world that has the technical capacity to produce such high-voltage equipment.

Over the past few months, the attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure have caused extensive damage to energy facilities, damaging some of the substations beyond repair. This has led to widespread power outages and blackouts across the country. 

This equipment provided is already in use in some of damaged substations. The higher the voltage class of the bushing, the more complex the process of de-installation and installation. Ukrainian energy workers demonstrate great dedication, working tirelessly to restore the energy supply with the provided equipment.

H.E. Kim Hyung-Tae, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Ukraine, reiterated Korea’s unwavering support for Ukraine's energy sector and assured that his country was ready to aid Ukraine in its preparations for the upcoming winter. 

“The Republic of Korea has stood in solidarity with Ukraine for the last two winters, and we commit to continue supporting Ukraine in preparation to the next winter and beyond,” Kim said.

The Ambassador also highlighted Korea's emergency assistance following the escalation of attacks on energy facilities, stating: “In order to help repair and restore power generation, Korea will deliver 200 additional generators on top of the 80 generators that have already been delivered."

Martin Eyjólfsson, Permanent Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iceland, stressed the importance of coordinated international support to maintain, rebuild, and fortify energy infrastructure in Ukraine, stating: “This joint transfer of critical energy equipment is a good example of the dynamic partnership that we seek to build in order for our contribution to be as effective and efficient as possible.”

“Iceland’s support to Ukraine is strong and comprehensive”, he added.

UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine Christophoros Politis paid tribute to the remarkable work and resilience of the energy workers, saying: “They work unceasingly to restore electricity generation and transmission in the face of the escalating attacks on the energy infrastructure.”

Politis emphasized that in addition to the intricate operations involving the repair and modernization of energy equipment, the UNDP will continue to support the Ukrainian government for restoring energy infrastructure.

“Together with the Republic of Korea, Iceland and other partners, the UNDP has contributed to a more stable energy supply for over 6 million people. The UNDP will continue to work together with the government of Ukraine for enhancing energy independence, prioritizing decentralization, and a shift towards green energy," he added. 

Oleh Pavlenko, the director of investments at National power company Ukrenergo, thanked the partners for their ongoing support and contribution to Ukraine's energy resilience. "We’re sincerely grateful to the governments of the Republic of Korea and Iceland, as well as our long-standing partners from the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, for the new equipment that we so urgently need,” he said. 

“Unfortunately, during attacks by Russian missiles and drones, this type of equipment is among the first to be damaged. The new bushings we have received from our international partners will help us more quickly mitigate the consequences of enemy attacks on our energy facilities and restore reliable power supplies to millions of consumers.

Background: According to the UNDP Energy Damage Assessment of June 2023, attacks on civilian infrastructure had by then slashed Ukraine’s power generation capacity by around half (51%), and transmission capacity by 45%. The UNDP is continuously working to mitigate the energy crisis in Ukraine being one of the first international donors to efficiently procure and deliver sophisticated high-tech equipment to Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2024, together with partners UNDP has provided Ukrenergo with equipment worth over $21 million.

Media inquiries: Yuliia Samus, Communications Team Leader, UNDP in Ukraine; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org