Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko has said that his country plans to raise the price at which it exports electricity by 30% in January 2007.
The Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Ministry says that the increase in export prices is due to price increases on the domestic market, after remaining unchanged since 1999. Currently, Ukraine exports electricity at 13-20 kopecks per kilowatt-hour, which is significantly lower than the price paid domestically by Ukrainian citizens.
Furthermore, the ministry forecasts that Ukraine will increase electricity generation by 3.4% compared with 2006, to 192 billion kilowatt-hours in 2007.
Meanwhile, in a meeting to discuss prospects for Ukrainian cooperation with EU nations in energy supply, Mr Boyko reassured EU ambassadors that gas supply to Europe will be reliable and stable, having stressed that, by the start of the heating season, Ukraine’s underground gasholders will be filled with the necessary amount of gas (25 billion cubic meters) to secure its transit.
According to Mr Boyko, the Ukrainian government’s main priorities are the development of nuclear power, ensuring safety of the Ukrainian energy system and implementing energy-saving technologies.
In other Ukrainian energy news, the country’s prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, has urged the county’s regions to introduce energy-saving technologies more actively.