Support for Ukraine‘s Energy Sector Has Exceeded EUR 6 Million and New Aid Projects Are Finalised

After Russia launched its war against Ukraine a year ago, and the country‘s energy sector has been purposefully destroyed for many months, Lithuania has already allotted EUR 6 million as an assistance in rebuilding the energy infrastructure of Ukraine. 

Lithuanian local authorities, non-government institutions, communities, private entities and other supporters have transferred over 1,160 generators and 269 transformers to Ukraine; lots of attention is devoted to deliveries of high-voltage autotransformers that are much needed in Ukraine.  

Overall capacity of the generators transported to Ukraine has exceeded 6.5 MW, which is more than the current electrical imports from Moldova, and it will be increasing: around 10 more generators will be transferred to Ukraine within a couple of weeks. According to the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), Lithuania is a leader among the EU Member States in terms of delivery of generators and transformers to Ukraine.

Furthermore, within the framework of bilateral assistance for the recovery and rebuilding of Ukraine, a project on modernisation of the energy infrastructure in the city of Nikolayev has been launched. The municipal electricity distribution network will be upgraded by switching to 20 kV and thus making it closer to the EU standards.

Lithuania was the first in the European Union to completely refuse from import of the Russian gas, actively urging other states in the region to reduce dependence on energy resources of the aggressor state, and paid particular attention to enhancing its own energy independence.

Amber Grid has implemented a number of projects of strategic importance that help protect our country increase energy security of the neighbouring EU Member States. On 1 April 2022, import of the Russian gas to Lithuania was stopped, thus standing up against Russia‘s energy blackmail. Opened in May, the Gas Interconnection Poland – Lithuania (GILP) was used, during 7 months (until the end of 2022) for the transmission of 6.4 TWh of gas to Poland. Lithuania received 2.3 TWh of gas via this link. On completion of a strategic ELLI project, in November 2022 Amber Grid increased the capacity of the Lithuanian-Latvian interconnection, enabling gas suppliers to both transport more gas to Latvia, Estonia and Finland and store larger quantities of gas in Inčukalns underground storage facility. In 2022, 18.4 TWh of gas were transferred to the needs of the Baltic States and Finland, i. e. ten times more than in 2021.

Testing of the Energy Cells energy accumulation system, which will contribute to the energy independence of Lithuania, was completed: initial tests of battery cubes, transformers and other electrical equipment installed in the battery parks in Vilnius, Šiauliai, Alytus and Utena were carried out. The battery park system – the first of its kind in the Baltic States and among the largest in Europe  will be integrated in the country’s electricity transmission network, enhancing the stability and reliability of operation of Lithuania’s electricity sector. The project on the energy storage facilities is required for synchronisation with Europe’s continental networks; in later period, these facilities will contribute to the attainment of Lithuania’s ambitious aims in the area of development of renewable energy resources. 

Lithuania’s timely decisions on the liquified gas terminal that had enabled our state to achieve its own and the entire region‘s energy security, have set an example for other states that need to ensure independence from the Russian gas as soon as possible.

Last updated: 02-03-2023

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