Odessa, 27 SEPTEMBER 2016, CONTEXT-Prichernomorie — The mayor of Odessa Gennady Trukhanov and the head of the Project USAID «Municipal energy reform in Ukraine» Diana Korsakaite signed a Memorandum of understanding to join efforts to improve energy efficiency and promote the use of clean energy in the city, the correspondent of IA «Context-Prichernomorie» reports.

It was reported to the agency today, September 27, in the Department of Information of the Odessa City Council.

«Odessa will be one of the cities in the Odessa region, which USAID will assist in the planning, management, and financing activities in the application of clean energy and energy efficiency projects. First of all, we will look at the application of energy saving measures in the public sector: schools, hospital, clinics and other», — stressed G.Trukhanov.

Under the terms of the Memorandum, the USAID Project experts will provide assistance to the municipality to conduct energy audits of municipal systems and standard buildings, the preparation and implementation of investment projects for energy efficiency and use of alternative energy sources. There will also be assisted in the implementation of energy management and the Action Plan for sustainable energy development of the city. Funding for the above activities took the USAID Project.

The project will help the city with the development and implementation of a strategy for information campaigns on energy efficiency in apartment buildings and responsible attitudes of inhabitants of Odessa to use existing energy resources and clean energy in the region.

Stressing the importance of signing this Memorandum, the relevant Deputy mayor Vyacheslav Shandryk noted that the participation of USAID in the preparation of programmes and proposals for energy efficiency is a kind of recommendation of international financial institutions (world Bank, NEFCO, EBRD, etc.).

REFERENCE: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent government agency, led directly by the US Secretary of State.

USAID project «Municipal Energy Reform in Ukraine» has been working in Ukraine since October 2013. The purpose of the project: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhance energy security of Ukraine through improved energy policy, increasing energy efficiency and investment in the energy sector.

To achieve these objectives within 4 years Project assists Ukrainian cities to attract investment from international financial institutions, commercial banks and private investors in the projects on energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. Cities that have signed the agreement, have committed themselves to 20% reduction in CO2 emissions till 2020 year, as well as replace the energy balance of urban natural gas alternative and renewable energy sources.