As part of its mission to strengthen Ukraine’s economic resilience, USAID, through its Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), delivered high-capacity generators to key rail border crossing points (BCPs). This critical intervention supports Ukraine’s power systems amid Russia’s ongoing attacks on vital infrastructure, ensuring the uninterrupted movement of goods and passengers between Ukraine and its European neighbors.
ERA delivered and installed 10 generators in total, ranging from 6-kW to 50-kW total, at the Chop (Zakarpattia Oblast, Hungary border), Mostyska II and Yahodyn (Volyn Oblast, Poland border), Vadul-Siret (Chernivtsi Oblast, Romania border), Reni (Odesa Oblast, Romania border), and Kuchurkhan (Odesa Oblast, Moldova border) rail BCPs. The average monthly cargo export through these six BCPs has been 1.12 million tons from December 2023 to November 2024.
Cameron Berkuti, ERA Border Crossing Point (BCP) Director, emphasized: “These generators provide reliable backup power for critical infrastructure systems, such as lighting, heating, signaling, and IT networks. Most importantly, they ensure the timely processing of documents, minimizing the risk of train delays, and keeping rail operations efficient and uninterrupted.”
Ukrainian Railways (UZ) upholds high transportation standards. Trains rarely experience delays and consistently arrive at their destinations on time. Maintaining this level of service is essential, especially during times of crisis, and a stable power supply to BCPs plays a significant role in preserving this quality of operations.
By ensuring round-the-clock reliability during extended power outages, these generators enable seamless customs processing, uninterrupted operations, and timely train movements. This helps maintain Ukraine’s reputation as a reliable transit partner for both cargo and passengers.
This initiative supports Ukraine’s international trade by keeping key export and import routes open, contributes to economic stability for local and regional markets, and upholds UZ’s high operational standards. With support from ERA, Ukraine’s border infrastructure continues to withstand ongoing challenges, ensuring the continuity of economic activities, protecting livelihoods, and fostering regional development and long-term prosperity.
Between 2023 and 2026, USAID, through ERA, is dedicating $115 million to support the Government of Ukraine. This support includes the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine (Ministry for Restoration), the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (Agency for Restoration), the State Customs Service, and Ukrainian Railways (UZ) to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs).