Memorandum of understanding on technical and financial assistance for energy efficiency projects in Zhytomyr inked

"Due to the effective decentralization reform, local self-government received additional powers and funding opportunities. However, this reform is being carried out at a critical time for the state, facing military aggression, the budget deficit, the increase in gas prices. And our task today is to join efforts and to develop a plan for effective work under such challenges", stressed Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities of Ukraine Hennadii Zubko during a ceremony of signing of the Memorandum of understanding between the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Regional Development, Zhytomyr City Council, “Zhytomyrteplocommunenerho" company on technical and financial assistance for energy efficiency projects in Zhytomyr.

The total budget of the project amounts 18.6 million Swiss francs. A grant assistance approved by the Federal Council of Switzerland, makes up 15.1 million Swiss francs from the total budget of the project.

"Local authorities and heat supply companies that apply funds from the Swiss government and invest their own will solve vital issues for their area. It includes, apart from reconstruction of boilers, insulation of kindergartens, an issue of installing 106 central individual heating stations, to enable accurately calculate an amount of energy received by the consumers. And to achieve actual amount of consumption. The more so, calculation of consumed energy enables to pay a fair price for it", said Hennadii Zubko.

According to the Vice-Prime Minister, due to the implementation of this project, the energy efficiency will really be felt in the apartments of citizens. "And most importantly, activities in metering energy consumption and establishing standards for their use will afford to significantly reduce the consumption of Russian gas", urged Hennadii Zubko.

He reminded that it is second such project in Ukraine. “The cooperation with the Swiss government was triggered by Vinnytsia, where residents have already felt the real results of reducing energy consumption, felt decreased financial burden and can see that energy efficiency measures occur in reality, but not just on paper", stressed Hennadii Zubko and thanked the Swiss government for the technical and financial aid. "And the most significantly – for encouraging motivation today to invest in energy efficiency in Ukraine", he added.