The territorial communities of Hnizdychiv, Morshin and Starosambir underwent competitive selection and became members of the network for the development of municipal energy plans, which was initiated in “U-LEAD with Europe”.
147 communities from all regions of Ukraine applied to participate in the network for the development of a municipal energy plan, of which only 48 won the competition. Representatives of three Lviv communities – Gnizdychivska, Morshynska and Starosambirska – have also started their work on this new document for Ukraine. This was reported in the regional office of U-LEAD in the Lviv region.
The participants of the network, with the help of experts of the “U-LEAD with Europe” Program, will develop model municipal energy plans that will determine the community’s policy in the field of energy security. They will explore the energy potential of communities, share experiences and propose solutions for creating an effective energy management system. These model plans and solutions can become models for other communities in the future.
Representatives of communities participating in the network have already managed to take part in the online seminar “Initiating the development of a municipal energy plan and collecting initial data”. According to “U-LEAD with Europe” expert Oleksandr Shumeld, the municipal energy plan will allow territorial communities to rationally use budget funds.
“Communities will identify priority sectors for energy planning and modernization, which will allow them to effectively use funds and attract potential investments. Also, this document will contribute to the improvement of the provision of communal services and will help raise the level of awareness of energy efficiency,” the expert said.
The educational initiative will last until November 2023. During this time, community representatives will visit a number of educational institutions, receive individual consultations from experts and develop projects of municipal energy plans.
We will remind that in November 2021, the law “On energy efficiency” was adopted. The final provisions of which state that three years after its entry into force, all communities must have a local energy plan. This document is being developed for 10 years and is aimed at ensuring sustainable energy development of communities and regions.
The Ukraine Program for Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development “U-LEAD with Europe” is jointly funded by the EU and its member states Germany, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Slovenia to support Ukraine on its way to strengthen local municipality. U-LEAD promotes transparent, accountable and multi-level governance in Ukraine that meets the needs of citizens and empowers communities.