Europe's energy networks will receive a 4-billion-euro ($5.3 billion) upgrade to make them more robust and flexible in future energy crises following a vote in the European Union assembly on Wednesday.

The project was launched after this winter's gas crisis left thousands of homes without heat, following a price row between Moscow and transit country Ukraine.

The plan to subsidize new power projects, gas pipelines and power cables aims to enable the 27 EU countries help each other during energy crises and to generate fresh employment for constructors and engineers in the face of recession.

The European Parliament had earlier voted to divert any unused funds from the project into energy efficiency program.

(Reporting by Huw Jones, writing by Pete Harrison)

Ukraine Energy