Introducing the LightHome Initiative
The Ukrainian government's Diia app has launched a new service called LightHome. This program provides funding for apartment buildings in Kyiv and the surrounding region to purchase generators and other equipment for independent power supply. The grant amount is determined by the number of floors in the building. This initiative is a direct response to the ongoing energy crisis and frequent blackouts caused by the war with Russia.
Applications for funding can be submitted by homeowners' associations (OSBB), building managers, and service cooperatives of any ownership type. The assistance is intended to cover the needs of an entire building, not individual apartments. The support program aims to ensure autonomous electricity supply during prolonged power outages.
Grant Amounts and Application Procedure
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved an additional package of decisions on January 28, which formed the basis for launching the program. The grant amounts are as follows:
- Up to 6 floors – 100,000 UAH;
- For buildings with 7 to 16 floors – 200,000 UAH;
- 300,000 UAH – for buildings with 17 floors or more, or with their own boiler room, as well as for buildings with 4-16 floors and 3 or more entrances.
To apply for funds, applicants must log into the Diia app using the electronic signature of a legal entity or a private entrepreneur. They then need to verify data, select the applicant type, add a current account number, specify the building's location and number of floors, indicate the planned use of the assistance, and confirm their agreement.
The program allows for the purchase of various equipment, including gasoline, diesel, or gas generators, inverters, high-voltage battery management units, batteries, and solar panels. In a related development, Angolan businessman Bento Adriano Mendez has provided Ukraine with 75 electric generators, while 16 partner countries are also supplying generators for critical infrastructure.
According to Yulia Svyrydenko, the launch of the LightHome program is designed to support apartment buildings, ensuring their energy resilience under difficult conditions.
The program is currently active for Kyiv and its region, with organizers planning to expand it further.
The LightHome program is a response to the challenges posed by Ukraine's energy crisis and aims to improve the energy independence of multi-story residential buildings. It enables homeowners' associations and managers to obtain necessary funding to ensure autonomous power supply, which is crucial given the frequent electricity cuts. This initiative is expected not only to improve residents' quality of life but also to enhance the overall level of energy security in the region.