France funds Ukraine’s first digital substation
Image courtesy DTEK
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy investor, has received an €11 million ($11.9 million) grant from the French government to build what they are calling Ukraine’s first digital substation.
The project will be delivered using technology from GE Vernova and costs €15 million ($16.2 million), with the remaining €4 million ($4.3 million) investment coming from DTEK.
The substation is among 19 key energy infrastructure projects approved earlier this month in Paris under the €200 million ($216.3 million) ‘Fund for Ukraine’, an agreement between the Ukrainian and French governments to rebuild critical infrastructure, including for the energy sector.
DTEK Grids, which is responsible for implementing the project, will partner with GE Vernova Grid Solutions SAS. GE Vernova will provide digital power equipment and technology, which enables remote monitoring and real-time diagnostics to enhance grid reliability and significantly reduce electricity losses.
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Commenting in a release was DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko: “We are extremely grateful to France for this important support. This grant allows us to take one step further in rebuilding Ukraine’s decentralised energy system.
“A modern, digitalised power grid is a critical element to enhancing resilience, boosting performance and efficiently meeting both current and future demand. This digital substation is more than just infrastructure. It’s a foundation for economic recovery, energy independence, and stronger ties between Ukraine and France.”
Added Pierre Heilbronn, France special envoy for Ukraine’s Relief and Reconstruction, who welcomed the project as a significant milestone in French-Ukrainian cooperation in the energy sector: “France is committed to support Ukraine’s recovery, not only by restoring its infrastructures but also by providing modern equipment, engineering and commissioning services in order to bring Ukraine closer to EU standards. In that respect, France will sponsor the collaboration between GE Vernova and DTEK on a landmark project which will increase Ukraine’s energy system immediate resilience, and pave the way for future transformative projects.”
Preparatory work for the substation has already begun, with full construction scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025.
Once completed, the substation will provide stable and efficient electricity equal to the equivalent of 65,000 households and businesses in one of Ukriane’s war-affected districts. The exact location cannot be named for security reasons.
The digital substation is a key component of the broader ‘Grids of the Future’ initiative, aimed at modernising Ukraine’s distribution networks with smart grid technology. This initiative is essential for ensuring Ukraine’s post-war economic recovery and long-term energy security.
Said Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Vernova’s Electrification Systems businesses: “GE Vernova is proud to continue supporting Ukraine’s energy reconstruction and grid modernisation.
“This digital substation brings a forward-looking approach to a more resilient energy infrastructure. We are committed to delivering advanced solutions that will help ensure a stable, efficient, and sustainable power supply for Ukrainians.”
The substation will also boost the region’s economic recovery by powering an industrial cluster nearby.
