Energo: International energy firms pressed to support Ukraine energy fund

The head of EU-backed agency seeks to ramp up financial and in-kind support for war-ravaged power sector.

International energy firms are being urged to provide more money and equipment to their Ukrainian counterparts as they scramble to rebuild war-damaged power plants.

With the clock ticking to restore electricity before demand surges later this year, a fund created to support Ukraine’s energy sector needs at least double the €500mn raised so far, mostly from European institutions and governments. Only about €10mn has come from the private sector.

“We have all the ingredients in place to increase generation,” says Artur Lorkowski, Director of the Vienna-based Energy Community Secretariat, which oversees the €500mn Ukraine Energy Support Fund. “What we need is the money which would allow Ukraine to rebuild and restore at least part of the lost capacities to help Ukraine survive the winter,” he told Newsbase in an exclusive interview.