The United Nations is working to purchase more large-scale energy equipment for Ukraine. Through the UNDP, over 6 million Ukrainians have gained stable access to electricity, said Shoko Noda, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN and Director of the UNDP Crisis Bureau.

"The UN, through UNDP, has helped secure stable energy access for more than 6 million Ukrainians and is now working to procure more large-scale energy equipment," she said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

She pointed out that as part of these efforts, UNDP's Green Energy Recovery Programme, with a budget of about U.S. $238 million, is making strides in restoring infrastructure and supporting Ukraine’s shift to green energy. The programme's key achievements include providing gas generation as well as solar energy, autotransformers, gas boosters and other critical equipment for winter preparations, launching the "Build Back Greener" initiative with Ukraine's Ministry of Energy.

Noda also mentioned that by June 2024, Russian attacks had destroyed 80% of Ukraine's thermal and one-third of its hydroelectric power generation capacity.

According to Noda, the UN is finalizing a rapid assessment of the energy crisis's human, economic, and social impacts. This assessment will inform responses to electricity outages and efforts to prepare Ukraine for winter. It's designed to pinpoint population vulnerabilities, prioritize resources, and guide coordinated interventions by the UN and national partners. The results are expected at the end of September 2024.