Vinnytsia’s Experience in the Field of Energy Sustainability Was Presented at a European Conference in Dijon

The world is closely studying Ukraine’s experience. For example, lessons on the decentralisation of power generation, equipment redundancy and the rapid restoration of grids are already being incorporated into recommendations for other countries. Representatives of Vinnytsia City Council have been invited to take part in the European Energy Transition Conference (AETE), currently taking place in the French city of Dijon, to share their experience and expertise in maintaining key urban systems and services even during periods of peak demand and threats. At this event, the Vinnytsia city administration team is also seeking new partners to develop horizontal links and implement projects that benefit the community.

The conference is attended by thousands of experts from various fields: mayors of European cities and representatives of local authorities, business representatives, academics, civil society organisations and state institutions, who are jointly implementing ‘green’ technologies in their communities. The event aims to promote the implementation of practical solutions in the field of climate neutrality, expand partnerships between cities and the exchange of experience, as well as strengthen international support for communities in matters of energy and environmental transition.

Vinnytsia’s Mayor Serhii Morhunov thanked European partners for their consistent support of Ukraine. He noted that the resilience of Ukrainian communities is now a vital component of the security and development of the entire European community, and shared our community’s experience in strengthening energy infrastructure and implementing ‘green’ energy in particular as an integral part of resilience amid shelling from russia.

“We raised the issue of energy security for Ukrainian cities. This is not just about our country’s security. We are building shared European resilience, growing stronger through mutual support. Although our city is not on the front line, we feel the consequences of russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure every day. That is precisely why one of the community’s priorities remains ensuring the uninterrupted operation of critical systems and urban infrastructure, even under the most challenging conditions,” emphasised Serhii Morhunov.

According to him, over the years of full-scale war, Vinnytsia has progressed to a new level of energy resilience, where, despite widespread power cuts, hospitals, educational institutions, critical infrastructure facilities and businesses largely have backup power sources.

“At the same time, we are working to reduce energy consumption in the public sector and transport sector, and to implement modern, environmentally friendly solutions in waste management. It is important to note that these changes are made possible through cooperation with international partners and twin cities, in particular Dijon. I am sincerely grateful for the support that Vinnytsia has received over recent years,” he said.

During the conference, Serhii Morhunov met with Patrick Child, a representative of the European Commission. They discussed, in particular, the possibility of implementing a project to establish a modern automated system for monitoring the quality of surface waters of the Pivdennyi Buh River in the Vinnytsia community.

François Rebsamen, President of the Dijon Metropolitan Area, emphasised that European solidarity with Ukraine must be unconditional, and that the partnership with Vinnytsia is important not only today but also in the process of future post-war reconstruction. In his words, Ukraine’s experience of resilience and infrastructure reconstruction in wartime is of value to the whole of Europe.

“Ukraine has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for innovation and recovery in wartime. It is important not only to support this experience but also to share it. We are ready to work with Vinnytsia on joint projects today and to build a partnership for the future,” said François Rebsamen.