During the infosession “Effective Management of Housing and Utility Services in the Autumn–Winter Period in a Municipality”, U-LEAD experts, together with local self-government officials, discussed the main challenges and practical steps for getting through the autumn–winter period.
“Essential functions for the municipality during the autumn and winter months are critically dependent on the housing and utilities sector. The powers of local self-government bodies, as defined by law, include not only day-to-day monitoring and control of service quality, but also crisis management,” said Oksana Levkivska, a Policy Advisor at the Regional Office of U-LEAD in Zhytomyr Oblast.
She emphasised that the war had fundamentally shifted the scope of responsibilities for municipalities:
“The Civil Protection Code brings the function of local self-government bodies to a new level – they are required to respond quickly, create sustainable points of resilience and ensure essential functions. This is no longer just municipal work but an element of national security.”
The powers of local self-government bodies cover the full cycle of energy security management: planning, monitoring, response, recovery. At the preparatory stage, this involves testing heating networks, inspecting boiler rooms, winterising public buildings, stockpiling fuel and checking equipment. It is important to ensure that the Points of Invincibility are operational in reality rather than in reports, i.e. equipped with electricity, internet, water and heating.
“We often see municipalities taking action after a crisis has already occurred. Managerial maturity, however, means that preparation begins at the end of the previous season. Action plans, staff training, public outreach – these are the things that determine how successfully we get through the winter,” the expert noted.
“The financial dimension of preparedness is just as important. After all, every step - from network repairs to equipment purchases – requires significant expenditure. Given the burden on state and local budgets, we advise municipalities to think bigger: international support under sectoral programmes, grant funds and lending instruments. These will not only enable preparations for the season, but also lay the foundation for energy efficiency for years to come,” said Anastasiia Pavliuk, a Policy Advisor at the Regional Office of U-LEAD in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
There are currently a number of opportunities for municipalities to access funding in this area, including cooperation with the NEFCO, the EBRD, the EIB, the GIZ and the UNDP. Nor should we overlook the role of NGOs in this area.
“Today, municipalities must work with donors as partners – they must have project managers, energy management specialists and ready-made application packages. This is not just about financing but strategic development. I would like to highlight the role of energy managers as key coordinators in preparing for the heating season. In many municipalities, these are the people who monitor energy use, analyse resource consumption and help make data-driven decisions,” the adviser concluded.
Among the municipalities that are already implementing a systematic approach is Zviahel municipality in Zhytomyr oblast. They have established an energy monitoring system, implemented a programme for the development of renewable energy sources until 2030, developed a Municipal Energy Plan and begun the transition to climate neutrality within the SUN4Ukraine project.
Preparations for the heating season in Zviahel municipality have begun systematically and in advance. These included updating the schedule for the Points of Invincibility, briefing staff and checking alternative power sources. The coordinated efforts of all departments meant that the municipality entered the season well prepared and confident in its ability to ensure resilience.
“We have seen that resilience begins with management. If the municipality has data, vision and a team, it can implement any solutions, from solar power plants to heat pumps. We have an energy management system in place that allows us to track actual resource consumption and respond in a timely manner. We started preparing for the heating season back in the spring by inspecting heating networks, checking boiler rooms, updating equipment and stockpiling fuel. We don’t wait to be told what to do but take action,” said Yurii Savych, the Head of Department for Support of Public Initiatives and Energy Efficiency of Zviahel City Council.
Zviahel’s case shows that the municipality prepared for the heating season in a systematic, purposeful and timely manner – from resource planning to the readiness of public utilities. This kind of good organisation and teamwork helps the municipality get through winter and keep things running smoothly for everyone who lives there.
