Unblocking electricity export possible after reliable provision of domestic consumers – adviser to PM

KYIV. March 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Unblocking electricity exports is possible, but subject to the establishment of uninterrupted domestic energy supply, there are no prerequisites for the resumption of gas and thermal coal exports, adviser to the Prime Minister Yuriy Boiko has said.

“The issue of resuming electricity exports is being considered. I think that such a decision will be made only when the energy supply in the country will consistently meet domestic needs in full. Both the government as a whole and the prime minister personally have a clear position: first of all, domestic consumers must be provided with uninterrupted electricity, and then export issues can be raised,” Boiko told reporters during a visit to one of the Ukrenergo substations.

At the same time, he stressed that, in general, it is unreasonable to abandon the idea, which brought UAH 5 billion in July-October only as payment for the right to access the interstate section for export, while once again emphasizing that the domestic consumer should remain a priority.

In addition, the adviser to the Prime Minister drew attention to the fact that in the next few months Ukraine should be ready to conduct joint auctions with European transmission system operators (TSOs) for the distribution of the right to interstate cross-section. Among other things, they stipulate that the funds from the payment for the section should be divided equally between the TSO of Ukraine and the country whose section is being bought out.

“The deadline given by our colleagues from ENTSO-E and the European Commission was that during the first quarter of this year we should start implementing the mechanism of joint auctions. To do this, it is necessary to prepare and amend the legislation and regulations and the national energy regulator NEURC is in charge for it now,” Boiko explained.

At the same time, Boiko focused on another issue of exporting electricity, namely, expanding the cross-sectional capacity for it, which now stands at 400 MW (for imports, 700 MW).

According to him, today there are no technical obstacles to increase this capacity to fully unlock the potential of existing interstate interconnectors, but “a rather difficult dialogue is underway on its possible expansion.”

Regarding the possibility of resuming the export of coal and gas, the prime minister’s adviser indicated that he did not yet see the prerequisites for making such a decision.