KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's national grid operator Ukrenergo said on Friday it would be receiving a 76-million-euro ($80 million) grant from Germany's KfW to strengthen defences of the grid over winter and increase the reliability of electricity supplies.
Ukraine is bracing for renewed Russian attacks this winter on its power infrastructure, which remains vulnerable after damaging air strikes last winter resulted in long periods without light, heating or water supplies.
Ukrenergo said in a statement the financing from the German development bank would be channeled to the construction of "engineering defence" of energy facilities and modernisation of networks "on the border with Europe".
It said that in total it has attracted over 220 million euros of grants and loans from KfW intended for restoration and reconstruction.
"The funding ... will support Ukraine's ability to successfully get through this and subsequent winter seasons by facilitating the rapid restoration and creation of protective constructions," Ukrenegro said on the Telegram messaging app.
Kyiv has also intensified its push to get Western partners to supply more air defence systems.
Ukraine's power generation capacity has been almost halved from nearly 37 gigawatts since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to a United Nations estimate in June.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine was almost 100% ready for the heating season.
"We are preparing for all challenges and for all possible scenarios, Shmyhal said on Telegram.
He said a network of 13,000 "invincibility points" had been created for people who need light, heat, internet and communication facilities in times of emergency.
Kyiv accuses Russia of deliberately destroying energy installations to inflict maximum suffering on ordinary people, a charge Moscow denies. Russia says it does not target civilians, only military facilities.
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