The regional newspaper “The Zhytomyrshchyna” published an article narrating about the activities of Svobodna Energiya LLC in Zhytomyr region.

In 2014, Svobodna Energiya addressed Zhytomyr City Council with an investment offer concerning the construction of a small hydropower plant on the Teteriv River.

Eighteen months have passed since Svobodna Energiya initiated the implementation of a number of investment projects focused on the development of small hydropower plants in Zhytomyr region. These are five projects of small hydropower plants with the total capacity of 2,3 MW. One of them, in Rudnia-Horodyshche village, is at the stage of designing and equipment ordering. In respect of three others, the development process of the land use documentation is ongoing. Concerning the construction of a small hydropower plant in Zhytomyr city on the basis of a dam located not far from of the Rock Head Chatskyi, Svobodna Energiya is expecting the investment tender to be held.

— We understand that by using the potential of the Head Chatskyi dam we can produce environmentally friendly electric power. However, before this, it is necessary to conduct capital repairs of the water engineering facility, and further to maintain it regularly. On the subject: at the beginning of the dam design, as far back as USSR times, a hydropower plant construction was considered as an option; however, then the country’s energy policy was changed and the construction of the hydropower plant was not deemed expedient any more, — Volodymyr Atamaniuk, Svobodna  Energiya LLC CEO  tells.

According to Volodymyr Atamaniuk, Svobodna Energiya cooperates with local authorities and specialized organizations in the field of development of hydropower industry in Zhytomyr region.

— We cooperate with regional, district and local authorities of Zhytomyr region and have been receiving support from experts. We involve local companies as specialized contractors, namely, “Zhytomyrvodoprojekt” Utility Enterprise, “ARCH-Studio” Creative Architecture Lab, “Intellect” Research and Production Firm. We are currently holding a tender for construction companies. I think we are doing a good job where we combine a lot of present-day factors, — the Company’s CEO informs.

Svobodna Energiya is registered in Khmelnytskyi city and is a subsidiary company of Free Energy, the Swedish-Ukrainian investment company, whose office is located in Kyiv. The company finances, develops and manages renewable energy source projects.

By the way, 9 small hydropower plants operate successfully in Zhytomyr region. New facilities are being currently developed in the region, for example, in Baranivka.

Zhytomyr region lacks electric power producing capacity, therefore the construction of small hydropower plants, including in Zhytomyr city itself, is economically expedient, experts think. In particular, Hennadii Venhlovskyi, the Zhytomyr architect, states that the Zhytomyr dam is operable and a small hydropower plant can be built right behind it. Such installation will not affect the dam’s capacity to hold the water back; but it will use the waterpower to produce energy. Since our power is cross-fed, the dam will help to somehow reduce its cost.

 Alina Ryhun, “The Zhytomyrshchyna” newspaper, dated March 18, 2016.