Minister Nasalyk: Ukraine passes through current heating season without Russian gas in stable mode
Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk has stated this at a press conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“An average consumption under freezing temperatures is 200 million cubic meters daily. We consume about 150-160 million cubic meters of natural gas daily,” Nasalyk said.
According to him, thermal generation saved about 1.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2016. In the first quarter of 2017, it is expected to use 1.342 billion cubic meters of natural gas instead of 1.665 billion cubic meters.
Nasalyk also reminded that Ukraine, Russia and the European Union held trilateral negotiations on the resumption of Russian gas deliveries at the end of 2016, but the parties did not reach an agreement related to signing an additional agreement to the principal contract for Russian gas supply, and Ukraine will not import natural gas from Russia without signing this document.
“Negotiations held before the new year ended in nothing. Firstly, Ukraine can absolutely do without Russian gas. Secondly, we are a reliable transit country delivering Russian gas to Europe,” Nasalyk noted.
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