By Swann Bigot, legal expert and consultant in international affairs, for Eurasia Network – July 26, 2017

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Wind turbines, May 2017 – Source : S.Bigot

Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Natalya Boyko and representatives of the Chinese company TBEA International Ltd discussed the construction of a 500 MW wind farm in the Mykolaiv oblast in Southern Ukraine during an official meeting held on July 13rd, revealed a press release of the Ministry. Estimated cost of this project remained undisclosed.

During the meeting the Deputy Minister stressed the official support towards foreign investments in the national energy sector, the development of renewable energy sources in Ukraine and the adoption of a new legal framework with the bill “On the electricity market”.

Natalya Boiko then listed the conditions needed for investments in renewable energy capacities, such as elaboration and adoption of secondary legislation, reform of public companies and modernization of power grid networks.

Representatives of the Chinese company confirmed their interest in taking part in several renewable energy projects in Ukraine. The announced 500 MW wind farm in the Mykolaiv Oblast would be only a pilot project. More Chinese investments in the national energy sector could come in the future.

Read also : Norwegian company wants to build two solar power stations in Ukraine

The Chinese delegation also told the Deputy Minister that the project has already passed the necessary expertise and received good assessment, including regarding the environmental impact. Representatives of TBEA International Ltd then stressed the importance of this ambitious project for solving social issues since its implementation would create 1000 new jobs during construction phase and around 100 new jobs for operation and maintenance of the wind farm.

This 500 MW wind farm would be the largest ever built in Ukraine. The current biggest facility in operation is the Botievskaya wind power plant with a capacity of 200 MW, achieved in 2014 by the Ukrainian energy company DTEK in the Zaporizhia oblast.  Made of 65 turbines manufactured by the Danish company Vestas, the facility needed an investment of € 340 million. This 200 MW wind farm is one of the five largest wind power plants in Central and Eastern Europe.

Read also : A 100 MW solar farm will open in Kazakhstan

As the Ukrainian government has set the goal to increase renewable energy share in the country’s power mix to 11% by 2020, wind power is growing in the country. From 2013 to 2016, Ukrainian wind power capacity has increased by 1.7 times (from 194 MW in early 2013 to 525 MW by the end of 2016).[1]

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© Copyright 2017 – Swann Bigot, legal expert and consultant in international affairs.

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Sources :

[1] «Інформація щодо потужності та обсягів виробництва електроенергії об’єктами відновлюваної електроенергетики, які працюють за «зеленим» тарифом (станом на 01.01.2017) » Державне агентство з енергоефективності та енергозбереження України, 03.02.2017 .