Foreign Affairs sends new electrical equipment to Ukraine to alleviate power outages

The announcement of this donation comes today at the Solidarity Conference with the Ukrainian people, which is taking place in Paris, and responds to the consequences of the war in Ukraine, where it is estimated that 70% of Ukrainian citizens are currently below the poverty line and more than 10 million people in the country lack access to a regular and stable electricity supply.

The role of Foreign Affairs will be carried out through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), which will collaborate with the transport of the material donated by Red Eléctrica. The material consists in a total of 163 reconditioned electrical substation items of equipment in a perfect state of repair, which are essential for the proper functioning of the high-voltage transmission grid. All this equipment will help Ukraine to restore and maintain its transmission grid and thereby provide important support to the country's electricity supply.

Specifically, Red Eléctrica will donate 107 current transformers and 28 voltage transformers, both of which help to manage the safety of the transmission grid; 26 lightning conductors, equipment to protect against the impact of lightning strikes and 2 disconnectors, electromechanical equipment that allows electrical circuits to be mechanically isolated so that maintenance work can be carried out.

This aid complements the donation of 14 generators made during the November visit to Kiev by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, through AECID, and is part of the emergency humanitarian response plan for Ukraine launched at the end of February 2022 by the Ministry through AECID, which already amounts to more than €37 million (€32 million from AECID itself, in addition to the support of other ministries, autonomous communities and local authorities).

Power outages are affecting heating systems in homes and other civilian buildings in Ukraine, and the provision of basic administrative and social services such as health and education. Furthermore, this is just the start of what is expected to be a particularly severe winter, with temperatures that could drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Business alliance

The donation also represents a partnership with the business sector in response to the severe humanitarian crisis facing Ukraine. Since the onset of the crisis, the Spanish business sector has shown commendable sensitivity and solidarity, making numerous donations and placing itself at the disposal of the government to provide support where needed.

At the Paris Conference, Spain will also announce that, following the 2022 emergency response, Ukraine will become a priority humanitarian context for Spanish Development Cooperation in 2023 and AECID will launch a programme to support the country's early recovery and resilience, in collaboration with multilateral partners.

The aim of this conference is to coordinate European and third country efforts to streamline donor coordination and to provide Ukraine with the necessary humanitarian aid in a more effective and efficient manner to mitigate the rigours of winter and its impact on Ukrainian citizens. Spain is represented at the conference by the director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Aecid), Antón Leis.

How can I help?

AECID has set up a specific microsite on its website with useful information for channelling aid from individuals, companies and institutions, so that it reaches everyone and is useful. Links of interest, recommendations from international organisations and direct contacts with NGDOs will be updated in real time at the following link AECID Microsite. How can I help Ukraine?

Non official translation