NAEK ‘Energoatom’ has completed the construction of a key safety facility at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, and it is currently undergoing the certification process, the company announced on Monday.
“We are taking proactive measures to create a reliable shield for our critical infrastructure. Each such facility provides an additional layer of security for Ukraine’s entire power grid,” said Energoatom CEO Pavlo Kovtoniuk.
The construction was carried out as part of a comprehensive program to strengthen the security of Ukrainian power units under martial law. The goal is to protect critical nuclear power infrastructure from potential external threats.
A production meeting was also held at the Rivne NPP site, attended by the plant’s management, relevant departments, and contractors. Participants discussed the progress of construction on other protective structures and the implementation of new engineering solutions to enhance the resilience of the infrastructure.
Prices for construction and installation work (CIW) in Ukraine rose by 16.2% in March 2026 compared to March 2025, according to the State Statistics Service (SSS).
According to the statistics agency, prices rose in all segments of construction from March 2026 to March 2025: in residential construction by 15.3% (up 9.2% compared to the previous month), in non-residential construction by 17.3% (9.7%), and in civil engineering by 16.1% (9.3%).
In January–March of this year compared to the same period last year, construction material and equipment prices rose by 9.9%, specifically in the residential sector by 9.2%, in the non-residential sector by 10.4%, and in civil engineering by 9.7%.
Compared to the previous quarter, in January–March 2026, construction material prices rose by 6.1%, specifically in residential construction by 5.3%, in non-residential construction by 6.6%, and in civil engineering by 6.1%.
The State Statistics Service also compared current price indicators with the 2021 annual average. Thus, in the first quarter of 2026, prices in the residential sector rose by 83.6%, in the non-residential sector by 84.1%, and in civil engineering by 78.6%.
As reported, in 2025, construction material prices rose by 5.8% compared to the previous year, in 2024 by 7.9%, and in 2023 by 15.8%.
The business confidence index for Ukraine’s construction market rose by 1.9 percentage points (pp) in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the first quarter, reaching “minus” 25.7%, according to the State Statistics Service (SSS).
According to data from a survey of construction companies conducted by the agency, the assessment of the current volume of orders improved by 1.7 pp to “minus” 41.5%. Specifically, 54% of the surveyed companies assessed their current order volume as normal for the season, while 45% deemed it insufficient.
Sixty-eight percent of respondents expect to raise prices for their services by the end of the second quarter of this year. Only 2% of respondents forecast a decrease in the cost of construction work, while 30% do not expect any changes in pricing policy.
According to State Statistics Service data, the companies surveyed have an average of six months’ worth of orders, which corresponds to the pre-war level at the beginning of 2022.
The agency notes that in the second quarter of 2026, construction will be negatively impacted by labor shortages (56.1%), financial constraints (48.2%), weather conditions (23%), insufficient demand (20.8%), and other factors (42.7%).
About 23% of the surveyed companies expect a reduction in the number of employees in April–June, while 57% believe that their numbers will remain unchanged, and 19% forecast an expansion of their workforce.
According to the State Statistics Service, 25% of respondents noted an increase in the volume of construction work completed in the past quarter, while 41% reported a decrease in volumes.
The survey showed that 98% of Ukrainian construction companies find it quite difficult to predict future business developments.
The statistical data is presented excluding territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation and parts of territories where hostilities are (were) taking place.
Ora Developers, an Egyptian real estate company linked to billionaire Naguib Sawiris, is expanding its Bayn project—a new mixed-use city in the Gantut area between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. According to The Economic Times, the company has increased its investment in the UAE from $15 billion to $30 billion.
According to the publication, the Bayn project is being developed as a full-fledged “city of the future.” Following the acquisition of an additional 4.8 million square meters of land, Ora Developers’ total land bank in the UAE has grown to 9.6 million square meters. The project itself is designed to accommodate approximately 16,000 residential units.
Bayn will include business parks, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, offices, and hotels—in other words, it is not just a residential complex but the creation of a self-contained urban environment. The key idea behind the project is to create a community whose residents will be able to live between the two largest business centers of the Emirates and work in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The project’s expansion comes amid sustained interest in the UAE real estate market, despite geopolitical tensions in the region. Through private capital, Egypt is effectively strengthening its presence in one of the Middle East’s largest real estate markets. The Bayn project demonstrates that the focus is not on isolated development, but on the large-scale creation of a new urban cluster between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering providing a long-term loan of up to EUR50 million to Volyn West Wind-2 LLC and Volyn West Wind-3 LLC, majority-owned by VI.AN Holding, a member of the OKKO Group, to finance the construction and operation of a 189 MW wind farm in Ukraine.
According to the bank’s materials, the EBRD loan will be part of the project’s secured debt financing, involving the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB).
The project will also receive guarantee support and grant funds for technical assistance from the European Union under the Ukraine Investment Framework through the HI-BAR program, which reduces risks for investors and helps attract funding to renewable energy and climate technology projects.
Against the backdrop of significant losses in power generation capacity due to the war, this investment is expected to help reduce the electricity deficit, support decarbonization, and strengthen the private sector’s role in the development of renewable energy.
According to the bank’s estimates, the new wind farm will generate approximately 467 GWh of electricity annually and reduce CO2 emissions by about 300,000 tons per year. The total cost of the project is estimated at EUR 262 million.
The project is currently in the development stage, with approval expected on May 28, 2026.
OKKO Group brings together more than 10 diverse businesses in the fields of manufacturing, trade, construction, insurance, services, and other sectors. The group’s flagship company is the Galnaftogaz concern, which operates one of the largest gas station networks in Ukraine under the “OKKO” brand, comprising about 400 gas stations.
The founder and ultimate beneficiary of the group is Vitaliy Antonov.
As reported, in April 2025, the EBRD, IFC, and CEB announced a EUR157 million loan to the Galnaftogaz Group for a 147 MW wind farm in the Volyn region.
Difficulties in obtaining urban planning conditions and restrictions (UPC) were cited as the key problematic stage for launching projects by 35% of respondents, according to the Ukrainian Association of Developers (UAD) based on the results of the annual study “Administrative Barriers in Residential Construction.”
Urban planning conditions and restrictions (UPC) are a document outlining the basic parameters of future construction: permissible height, building density, setbacks from property lines, lot boundaries, requirements for landscaping, greening, and other planning restrictions. In effect, the UCRs determine exactly what can be designed on a specific land plot and within what parameters.
According to the study’s findings, among more than ten factors hindering the implementation of development projects, difficulties in obtaining UCRs ranked first (35% of respondents). Also among the top administrative barriers are difficulties in land and property relations (30%), instability of permits/cancellation by third parties (24%), and difficulties in obtaining technical specifications (22%).
“The General Urban Plan remains one of the most sensitive stages of construction. Formally, this should be a straightforward document—a digital extract from the master plan detailing the parameters of the future project. However, in practice, it is precisely at this stage that developers often encounter manual administrative procedures, leading to delays, unfounded conditions and rejections, and inconsistent interpretations of the same regulations. “It is critically important for the market to have a clear appeal mechanism,” noted Yevhen Favorov, chairman of the Ukrainian Association of Developers.
The problematic nature of the GUP procedure is confirmed not only by industry data but also by the findings of the National Agency for Corruption Prevention. In the draft Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2026–2030, the NACP noted that the existing procedure for obtaining initial data for design creates conditions for corrupt abuses and illegal construction, and that legislative approaches to issuing GUOs must be systematically reviewed.
Furthermore, in its report, the NACP also noted that while building permits are formally required to replicate the requirements of urban planning documentation at the local level regarding a specific land plot, in practice they are issued by local officials “on a case-by-case basis,” which creates opportunities for procedural delays, unjustified denials, or manipulation of the content of restrictions.
The UAD notes that the study’s findings also highlight a lack of trust in local-level decision-making. According to the survey, respondents’ level of trust in state authorities is relatively higher than in local authorities—5 out of 10 possible points for state authorities versus 3 points for local authorities. Overall, developers tend to view regulatory changes over the past four years positively: 16% believe the situation has definitely improved, 51%—somewhat improved, 11%—remained unchanged, 13% see it as having somewhat worsened, and only 9%—definitely worsened. At the same time, the reform of DAS to GIAG received one of the highest ratings among the indicators measured in the study—7.04 out of 10.
“GIAG has already proven its effectiveness as a reformed body of state architectural and construction control and supervision. It is important for the market that, where there is an unlawful refusal or blocking of the process at the local level, there exists a clear and independent mechanism for appeal and review. This is a matter of fair rules of the game,” added Favorov.
The Association emphasizes that local authorities must retain their role in shaping urban planning policy, approving documentation, and determining territorial development. At the same time, in cases where an authorized body unreasonably refuses to issue a building permit or fails to make a decision within the established timeframe, businesses need a tool to protect a lawful project.
“The industry demands the creation of an appeal mechanism for cases of unlawful refusals. There is no question here of taking away powers from communities. There must be a safeguard against inaction or abuse. If a project complies with legislation and urban planning documentation, it should not be blocked for months. For such cases, an independent and transparent appeal mechanism is needed,” Favorov emphasized.
Full digitization and automation of the permitting process are cited as a strategic solution for the sector. In its recommendations, the NACP also identified the automation of administrative decisions and the transformation of the analog permitting process into a digital one as one of the key tools for minimizing corruption risks. The Association emphasizes that since the development market is in greater need of reformed state oversight, the appeal mechanism through the State Agency for Urban Development (SAUD) could be a good interim solution until the full automation of the GOU. The UAD believes that reducing corruption risks in the housing allocation procedure, creating a clear appeal mechanism, and further digitizing procedures will facilitate the launch of new housing projects and, consequently, increase the supply of housing for those who need it—namely, military personnel, people with disabilities, and other categories eligible for purchase benefits.
CONSTRUCTION, corruption risks, DEVELOPERS, housing sector, MOU
