Ternopil is the political, administrative, economic, business and cultural center of Ternopil Oblast. The total area of the city is 72 km2. As of 1 May 2016, population of Ternopil was 218,100 persons.

The city actively cooperates with international financial institutions and implements technical assistance projects in different sectors. The partner organizations of the cityincludethe United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), Northern Environmental Financial Corporation (NEFCO), European Investment Bank (EIB), Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership (E5P Fund), and others.

The Energy Supply Sector within the structure of the Department of Housing and Communal Services, Urban Amenities and Ecology of the Ternopil City Council deals with energy efficiency issues in the city. On 6 July 2012,the city joined the leading initiative of the European Union – the Covenant of Mayors. Signatories commit to reducing their CO2 emissions by at least 20% by 2020, thus contributing to the development of an environmentally oriented economy and quality of life improvements). In 2013, the city developed Ternopil Sustainable Energy Action Plan through 2020 (SEAP). to achieve the goals set by the Covenant of Mayors.

In 2014, after signing of the relevant Memorandum, cooperation between the city and the USAID Municipal Energy Reform Project in Ukraine (hereinafter – the USAID Project) started. The Memorandum identified four main areas of work for improving municipal energy efficiency and raising funds to finance the relevant measures:

1) supporting the development of a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP);

2) improving the energy management system;

3) assisting in finding investments; and

4) conducting information campaigns.

Within the framework of the USAID Project, in 2015 Ternopil received technical assistance in adjusting the SEAP.Public hearings on the updatedSustainable Energy Action Plan took place on 12 February 2016. It is planned that the City Council of Ternopilwill adopt the document in the near future.