UK provides increased support for Ukraine's energy sector
Business Secretary announces a £5 million support fund for providing safety and security equipment to Ukraine's civil nuclear sector.
- UK government announces further £5 million to support Ukraine’s energy sector, helping provide safety and security equipment for their civil nuclear sector
- follows £10 million announced last week to fund and help reconnect power across the country, and a further £7 million previously allocated to supply generators
- this builds on the ongoing UK-wide effort to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutality
The UK’s Business and Energy secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, announces today a £5 million support fund designated to providing safety and security equipment to Ukraine’s civil nuclear sector, supporting the country’s ongoing effort to stand with Ukraine.
The civil nuclear support fund will see high priority items, which could include personal protective equipment, communications systems, and radiation monitoring equipment, supplied to Ukraine. This will enable the high levels of safety and security required to be fully restored at Chernobyl and Ukraine’s other nuclear sites following Russian attacks.
The provision of vital equipment to Ukraine also contributes to widespread efforts to supply equipment for guard forces and to enhance the detection of the illicit movement of materials within Ukraine and across its borders, helping the country recover from Russian control of Chernobyl.
Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:
Energy systems play an indispensable role in ensuring national security and economic resilience.
Today the UK is ramping up our support to the Ukrainian people in their time of need by helping reconnect power across the country and protecting the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear sector, ensuring their frontline is fully equipped in the face of Russia’s brutality.
Melinda Simmonds, UK Ambassador to Ukraine said:
Ensuring Ukraine has access to available energy will not only make sure the economy continues to function, but will also keep people warm and allow hospitals to provide emergency healthcare when it’s needed.
I’m proud of all the UK is doing to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
Today’s news follows the Foreign Secretary’s announcement last week of a £10 million Energy Support Fund, forming part of a package to help Ukraine defeat Putin and rebuild the country. This fund will help keep Ukraine’s energy system running in wartime, enabling essential repairs to energy infrastructure and help reconnect power across the country. The package included both immediate financial and longer-term support for the Ukrainian people, utilising UK expertise and British businesses to accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery.
Together this brings UK support for Ukraine’s energy sector to £22 million, including the UK’s £7 million donation of over 850 generators earlier this year that are already in use, helping to power essential services such as hospitals and shelters.
These support packages come as international partners and allies from around the world joined together last week for the Lugano Conference on Ukraine’s Recovery in Switzerland in a united stand with Ukraine.
Notes to editors
The £22 million figure includes:
- the £10 million Energy Support Fund from the Energy Resilience and Energy Security programme, announced before the invasion. This 3-year FCDO fund is intended to keep Ukraine’s energy systems running in wartime and prepare for modern-era post-war reconstruction, with the other £7 million transferred to BEIS to supply 856 portable generators
- today’s £5 million from BEIS allocated to support Ukraine’s nuclear sector. The United Kingdom will procure these items of equipment and work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to deliver them to Ukraine