Last week, the second solar power plant built thanks to donations from the Czech Republic was opened in Lviv. The new power plant will help ensure the operation of St. Luke’s Hospital, part of the largest hospital complex in the city, during power outages. The project follows more than 30 other solar power plants built since the beginning of the Russian invasion with the help of the ‘Sun for Ukraine’ initiative, operated by the Nesehnutí organization.
The 20-kilowatt solar power plant was installed on the eye microsurgery building with the help of hundreds of Czech donors, who contributed over CZK 450,000. Last year, the Sun for Ukraine initiative supported the construction of another power plant at St. Nicholas’ Children’s Hospital, which is part of the same complex.
“We sincerely thank Czech companies and our partners for supporting this project at St. Luke’s Hospital and St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital,” said Iryna Kulynych, Deputy Mayor of Lviv for Humanitarian Affairs. “For healthcare facilities, this means greater certainty that they will be able to continue providing care to patients even in such challenging conditions. For the city, this is another step towards greater energy independence and sustainability.”
The hospital last week during the launch of the new solar plant. Credit: Nesehnuti.
St. Luke’s Hospital is located in the southern part of the city and provides care to approximately half a million residents. The Department of Ophthalmic Microsurgery is one of the few highly specialized facilities in Ukraine focused on complex eye surgery. Many war veterans and civilians whose eyesight was lost or damaged during the war are being treated there.
“The solar power plant project at St. Luke’s Hospital, as well as other solar power plants built thanks to the help of Nesehnutí, are an invaluable contribution to ensuring the energy independence of hospitals and enabling their operation even during power outages due to Russian attacks,” said Jiří Borcel, the Czech Consul in Lviv.
“It is amazing to see with our own eyes how solar energy can help hundreds of patients and, above all, hospital staff to function even during power outages,” said Alžběta Kofránková, coordinator of the Sun for Ukraine initiative. “We are especially happy today that we are opening the second solar power plant in the city. As the hospital complex has a number of pavilions, we plan to help other buildings with their energy independence. This is what Ukrainian hospitals need most right now.”
Over the past three years, more than 30 solar power plants have been built in more than 25 Ukrainian cities through the Sun for Ukraine initiative. The plants bring tangible benefits in key infrastructure, contributing to the energy resilience of Ukrainian communities. Fundraising is currently open for the transportation of solar panels to Teofipol, Vinkivtsi, Severynivka and other Ukrainian municipalities.
