Ukraine is approaching winter amid daily enemy attacks. Power stations, substations, gas and water facilities, and transport infrastructure are being targeted. In these circumstances, the speed with which decisions are made and actions coordinated by the state and local authorities is of critical importance.

In order to strengthen the protection of energy facilities and accelerate the recovery process, the Government has set up a Coordination Headquarters for Energy Protection. This will be run by the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

‘Protecting the energy sector is a priority for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Government, and all those who work for the country. We are accelerating the construction of engineering defences around energy, transport and life support systems. Quality and safety controls will remain in place, but the procedural part – from approval to conclusion of contracts – will be significantly reduced. This will facilitate the commencement of construction and repairs, while ensuring the uninterrupted operation of energy infrastructure,’ said Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration – Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine.

The Headquarters will bring together all the organisations responsible for energy, transport, water, heating, and communications: the Ministry of Energy, Ukrenergo, Naftogaz, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Emergency Service, regional military administrations, communities, and infrastructure operators.

According to Oleksii Kuleba, despite continuous attacks, over the past year the Agency for Restoration has built more protective structures than in all previous years combined – at 22 energy facilities for which it was responsible. Work continues uninterrupted, even with limited budgets and tight deadlines.

‘The Government is strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure. We must act quickly to ensure that people always have light, heat, and water, even in the event of enemy shelling,’ stressed Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko.

Key aspects of the Government’s decisions

• the list of Treasury’s priority expenditure has been updated;
• part of the funds from the reserve fund has been allocated to frontline regions and Ukrzaliznytsia for the implementation of engineering protection measures;
• project preparation and implementation procedures have been shortened, from approval to contract conclusion;
• quality and safety control of works remains mandatory.

The role of communities

Although Government decisions primarily affect the central administration, communities can play a significant role in implementing measures to protect and restore infrastructure in practice. This particularly concerns:

• coordinating the actions of local agencies and contractors;
• setting priorities for the protection of critical infrastructure;
• responding promptly to damage and the needs of energy companies.

Strengthening the cooperation between the central authorities, regional military administrations, and communities can help to ensure a more stable energy system operation during the winter period.