Ukraine plans to electrify 838 km of rail track to Black Sea ports, Polish and Belarusian borders by 2020

Ukrainian railways will realize projects on electrifying rail routes taking into account the country’s economic state.

The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine’s press service has reported that Deputy Minister Oleksandr Kava has insisted that railway routes which are the most cost-efficient and have a short payback period should be electrified first.

It is planned that in 2015-2017 Ukrzaliznytsia will focus on electrifying the Dolynska-Mykolaiv-Kolosivka route. The electrification of sections will increase the effectiveness of shipments to ports in Big Odesa and Mykolaiv. Blueprints for the projects have been drawn up, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) has expressed its interest in financing the project. The project will be presented to the government for approval.

During this period the railways will also step up preparation for and the realization of projects electrifying tracks going to the Polish and Belarusian borders.

"We're preparing documents for approval by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine under the Dolynska-Mykolaiv section project, we're finishing other projects and starting two directions to Belarus – Berdychiv-Korosten-Slovechne-State Border and Chernihiv-Hornostayivka-State Border, Kovel-Izov-State Border and Potoky (Kremenchuk)-Zolotnyshyne," Kava said.

He said that the electrification of railway tracks towards state borders is one of the most promising projects for attracting transit cargo flow.

Kava ordered railways to increase cooperation with Belarusian colleagues who are electrifying their railways towards the border with Ukraine. This will promote the development of the Baltic Sea-Black Sea transport corridor.

In general, in 2015-2020, a total of 836 kilometers of railway tracks will be electrified.

The Infrastructure Ministry and Ukrzaliznytsia will search for financing to realize the projects.