Casten, Castor, Ross Urge USAID to Increase Grid Reliability in Ukraine
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), and Deborah Ross (NC-02) sent a letter to Samantha Power, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), urging USAID to support the deployment of electric grid enhancing technologies in Poland in order to increase reliable power delivery into Ukraine.
“Ensuring reliable electricity for Ukraine is of utmost importance to people in the region, their economic stability and U.S./NATO/EU security interests,” the lawmakers wrote. “...Grid enhancing technologies (GETs), such as advanced power flow control, would enable transmission operators to maximize the capacity of existing power lines. GETs that are currently being manufactured in the United States can be used immediately to address Ukraine’s energy challenges.”
A copy of the letter can be found here. Text of the letter can be found below.
Dear Administrator Power,
Ensuring reliable electricity for Ukraine is of utmost importance to people in the region, their economic stability and U.S./NATO/EU security interests. The most recent Russian drone and missile attack that targeted the electricity grid was especially destructive to Ukrainian military defense and survival of its people. Projections indicate that energy demand for winter 2025/2026 will significantly outpace supply. An opportunity exists to implement intelligent technologies in the next 12 months that can increase reliable power delivery into Ukraine while managing rapidly changing grid conditions.
Grid enhancing technologies (GETs), such as advanced power flow control, would enable transmission operators to maximize the capacity of existing power lines. GETs that are currently being manufactured in the United States can be used immediately to address Ukraine’s energy challenges. Deploying these technologies in Poland could increase transmission transfer capacity into Ukraine by 500MW, enough to power 350,000 homes.
For these technologies to be deployed in time to assist with this winter’s power demand, Poland needs adequate financial support in coordination with EU transmission system operators. While ambitious, these efforts could allow for flexible electricity dispatch to aid grid resilience as conditions on the ground continue to fluctuate. To protect the safety of Ukraine’s citizenry, the United States, through the Agency for International Development and the National Security Council, must ensure these projects receive prioritization and focus among the many parties at work.
We urgently request that your agency continue to prioritize this effort through appropriate transatlantic channels and identify programmatic pathways to support dramatic increases of reliable power delivery into Ukraine over the next 12 months.
Sincerely,
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