The import of electricity from Russia will not be considered, even if there is an urgent need. With such statement as transfers “Interfax”, on Monday by the Minister of energy and coal industry of Ukraine Igor Nasalik in the program “Freedom of speech” on channel ICTV.
“In 2016 was the first year when we moved away from the import of Russian electricity. I am more than confident that the import of electricity from Russia is not even worth considering. We will do our best to abandon this position,” – said Nasalik.
Earlier Nasalik said that deliveries from Russia to Ukraine are the only alternative to coal from the Donbass. “We will not be able to take coal in South Africa, because he is contracted by other countries in the month of April. There are two only options: either the Russian import, Russian gas or on-gas units,” – said the Minister.
The representative of the press service of the Ministry of energy has said that, despite the shortage of coal in Ukraine, Kiev has not been in contact with Moscow on additional fuel supply. Commercial contract for the supply of electricity from Russia to Ukraine was not renewed and terminated on 1 January 2016, it now comes exclusively under the technical assistance only upon request.
On January 25 representatives of Ukrainian volunteer battalions, supported by a number of MPs, blocked the movement of freight trains with coal from uncontrolled Kiev areas of Donbass. The Deputy Minister for uncontrolled Kiev territories of Donbass George Tooke and the head of Lugansk regional military-civil administration Yury Garbuz has warned that the blocking of the railroad could threaten not only the region’s energy industry, but also to break the power supply of the entire Ukraine.
Before it became known that the Ukrainian authorities are considering the introduction of a state of emergency in the country. It involves the whole energy system of Ukraine on the minimum load level of thermal generation, which will allow you to stretch the scarce reserves of anthracite coal in warehouses of thermal power plants for 40 days. The decision on this question depends on whether it will be possible to restore supply from Donbass in the coming days.