Modernised lighting in Tetiiv promotes community safety and sustainability

Modernised lighting in Tetiiv promotes community safety and sustainability

The lighting system in the city of Tetiiv, Kyiv region, underwent comprehensive modernisation under the Ukraine Energy Efficiency in Small & Amalgamated Municipalities programme during 2024.

The modernisations have contributed to measurable environmental benefits for the community, reducing electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while improving the safety and comfort of residents.

The programme is funded by the European Union and managed by Nefco.

The project has had a very positive social impact. Viktoriia, a local music teacher comments: "Previously, the street lighting was quite dim, especially on the outskirts of the city. Many of the streetlamps didn't work and the ones that did cast more shadow than light. Now everything has changed. New LED lighting has illuminated the city with bright, white light. The streets have become much safer, and the city feels more modern. This was especially noticeable during the first winter months of 2025. I am very happy with these changes."

Tetiiv, a historic city in the Kyiv region of Ukraine, is located approximately 150 km from the capital and dates to the 12th century. With a population of some 12,600 residents, it serves as the administrative centre of the Tetiiv urban community.

For many years, the city struggled with inefficient lighting. The outdated lighting network primarily consisted of sodium and compact luminescent lamps prone to frequent outages. Additionally, most of the wiring was uninsulated and had been in use for a long time, while many of the reinforced concrete lighting poles, over 40 years old, were in poor condition. All these issues resulted in inadequate illumination, poor energy efficiency, a lack of effective automatic lighting control systems and significant municipal budget expenditures on energy and maintenance. The worn-out system failed to meet street lighting norms, providing only the minimum required level of illumination and leaving streets unsafe at night.

Another resident, Olena, highlights the improvements in safety. "The new street lighting has made life in our community much more comfortable. In the past, when I sent my grandchildren to extracurricular activities in the evening, I was always concerned about their safety. Thanks to the new street lighting, I don't need to worry because our streets are much brighter and safer. High-quality lighting improves the safety and comfort of every city resident."

Oleksandr, an experienced driver, emphasises the benefits for road users: "The new street lighting not only improved visibility on the road but also made trips more comfortable. Especially in conditions of fog or rain, the new streetlights significantly increase traffic safety. The changes are evident, and I am grateful to everyone who contributed to them."

"The introduction of LED lighting is a significant step forward for the Tetiiv community. We have not only received modern, safe and energy-efficient street lighting but are also contributing to the preservation of the environment. We are grateful to Nefco and the EU for believing in our potential and working together to advance the community," says Bohdan Balahura, Mayor of Tetiiv.

Even in the face of full-scale war, EU-funded projects like this show how local communities can modernise essential infrastructure, lower energy consumption, and create safer, more comfortable environments for citizens. "Supporting energy efficiency is a way to empower towns like Tetiiv and invest in Ukraine's sustainability," says Jocelin Cornet, Head of the Reconstruction, Energy, Infrastructure, and Environment Section of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

"The modernisation of Tetiiv's street lighting is a testament to how innovative solutions can reduce energy consumption and emissions while simultaneously increasing safety and comfort for residents, demonstrating the power of international cooperation in addressing local challenges and achieving tangible results. We are proud to have contributed to this transformative initiative and look forward to continuing our collaboration with Ukrainian municipalities," says Tetiana Vekha, Project Administrator at Nefco.

Under the Ukraine Energy Efficiency in Small & Amalgamated Municipalities programme, funded by the European Union through its Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) and managed by Nefco, Tetiiv's lighting system underwent comprehensive modernisation. With a budget of EUR 360,000, existing fixtures were replaced with modern LEDs, and new fastening brackets for the fixtures were installed. Outdated AC25 wires were upgraded to self-supporting insulated SIW wires, ensuring enhanced durability and reliability of the electrical network. Additionally, reinforced concrete poles were replaced, while metal galvanised poles with foundations and brackets were installed in specific areas. Protective grounding circuits were added to electric poles to improve infrastructure safety. Finally, the control cabinets were upgraded to ensure efficient management of the modernised lighting system.

These modernisations have delivered measurable environmental benefits to the community. According to estimations, annual electricity consumption will decrease by 140 MWh/year. CO₂ emissions will be reduced by 112 tonnes/year, SO₂ by 0.10 tonnes/year, NOₓ by 0.04 tonnes/year and dust emissions by 0.07 tonnes/year.

For further information, please contact:

Tetiana Vekha, Project Administrator, Nefco

[email protected], +380 67 519 8034

Alexey Dumik, Technical Adviser, Nefco

[email protected], +380 50 352 3383

About the Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP)

The Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) is a mechanism aimed at mobilising additional funding to finance capital-intensive infrastructure projects in EU partner countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in sectors such as transport, energy, environment and social development. The NIP also supports the private sector, mainly through investment grants and risk capital operations targeting small and medium-sized enterprises. The NIP strives to pool grant resources from the EU budget and EU Member States and use them to leverage loans from European Financial Institutions as well as contributions from the ENP partner countries themselves. In this way, the EU backs its neighbours' priorities and supports them in carrying out key investments and boosting economic development.

About Nefco

Nefco, the Nordic Green Bank, is an international financial institution (IFI) founded in 1990. Our task is to work with concrete actions to accelerate the green transition, and we serve the interests of our owners, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. In addition to our own capital, the Nefco Investment Fund, we manage several trust funds on behalf of various donors to support environmental and climate-related projects. By focusing on small and medium-sized projects with tangible results, we demonstrate how climate and environmental projects can be implemented and scaled up in a sustainable and cost-efficient way. Nefco assesses projects based on its strict environmental criteria and the EU taxonomy, as well their contribution to the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Over the years, Nefco has implemented over 1,700 private and public projects across different sectors all over the world. Nefco's headquarters is located in Helsinki, Finland. Read more at www.nefco.int