Ukraine's Energy Sector: Electricity from Belarus, Naftogaz's Role in Nord Stream 2 Certification and Coal Shortage

Naftogaz intends to gain a voice in the certification process of Nord Stream 2, thereby disrupting it.

Ukraine may begin receiving electricity from Belarus as early as November 1, Naftogaz Ukraine may join the group certifying the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline in order to obstruct it, and coal stocks at Ukrainian thermal power plants are almost four times below the planned level. 

This material gathers important news about Ukraine's energy sector.

Electricity from Belarus

As Ekonomichna Pravda reports, Ukraine is officially preparing to import electricity from Belarus. Belarusian electricity could enter Ukraine in early November. 

According to the publication, preparatory work on this issue has already begun: an official tender for access to the power line cross-section between Ukraine and Belarus has been scheduled for October 22.

The tender will be conducted by the national electricity grid operator NEC Ukrenergo.

Proposals from companies wishing to acquire the interstate cross-section will be accepted over 2 days, from October 22 to 24.

Publication of the final auction results is scheduled for October 29, which is 2 days before the end of Ukraine's political moratorium on electricity imports from Belarus.

Thus, purchases of electricity from Belarus may be resumed as early as November 1.

Will Naftogaz try to disrupt the certification of Nord Stream 2?

NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine has applied to participate in the certification process of the Nord Stream 2 operator, said the company's chairman of the management board, Yuriy Vitrenko.

Yuriy Vitrenko
Chairman of the Management Board of Naftogaz

Naftogaz Ukraine, as the national company leading the fight for Ukraine's energy security and defending national interests, has applied to participate in the certification process of the Nord Stream 2 operator before the German regulator. Our main position is that Nord Stream 2 cannot be certified, since its full compliance with European legislation has not been ensured.

Vitrenko recalled that Ukraine is one of the main participants in the European gas market, in particular purchasing significant volumes on EU markets, and is interested in this market being competitive.

Therefore, certification of the Nord Stream 2 operator will damage competition in the European market, including the German, Slovak, Hungarian, Czech and Austrian markets.

Yuriy Vitrenko

I would like to emphasize that the issue is not only that Ukraine, as a transit country, suffers because Russia uses gas as an energy weapon and continues to do so. We note that there are major risks to the security of Ukraine and to the security of the region.

Coal shortage

Coal stocks at thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants as of the morning of October 18 amounted to 752.9 thousand tons — 5.9% less than as of October 11, according to statistics from the Ministry of Energy.

Meanwhile, according to the plan approved by the ministry, there should be 2 million 896 thousand tons of coal in storage as of October 18 — actual coal stocks are 3.8 times below planned levels.

Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said that generating companies are responsible for complying with the accumulation schedule approved by the Ministry of Energy.

At the same time, he noted that the Ministry of Energy, within its competence, is ready to help resolve problematic issues with coal supplies.