USA to provide Ukraine with next tranche of aid to restore grids early March – US Energy Secretary

The United States is in the process now of sending the third tranche of high-voltage equipment to Ukraine to complete it at the beginning of March this year, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in an interview with Voice of America.

She did not specify the amount of the upcoming assistance, but at the same time she expressed admiration for the promptness of attracting the assistance already provided to restore the operation of the power system.

"What's amazed us as how quickly the Ukrainians have been able to incorporate what we were sending so that they can get up the things running again. It is really breathtaking, the kind of reliance and quick turnaround that happened with those who are working on the grid," Granholm said.

At the same time, Granholm confirmed that her country supports the desire of the Ukrainian side to build a new model of the power system, which will be based on clean energy and decentralization. As a result, this will help achieve the key goal – the energy independence of Ukraine as an integral part of national security.

"I do know that the president — President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy – has really expressed a desire to have a different grid. A grid that is distributed, that has clean energy, but also that isn't so centralized so that it becomes a target. And that is very encouraging, that's something we very much want to work with Ukraine on," she said.

According to her, the U.S. National Renewable Energy lab, doing roadmaps for countries that have expressed interest in going 100% renewable, is ready to work with Ukraine.

Granholm said that she is in contact with the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Haluschenko and feels the desire of the Ukrainian side for cooperation and implementation of relevant plans.