Belarus resumes electricity supplies to Ukraine on commercial basis Nov 6 - Energy Ministry

<p> MINSK, Nov 8 - PrimePress. Belarus resumed supplies of electricity to Ukraine on commercial basis on 6 November 2021, the press service of the Energy Ministry of Belarus said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “Belarusian electricity supplies to the Ukrainian energy system started on November 6. According to the contract signed, supplies will be carried out during November. The supply schedule was formed by the Belarusian side taking into account the existing technical capabilities: the operation modes of the energy system and capacities of the generating equipment,” the Ministry of Energy's official telegram channel said in a statement. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Belarus started supplying electricity to Ukraine on 2 November to overcome capacity shortages in the United Energy System of Ukraine and due to increased accidents at power units of thermal power plants, upon Ukraine’s request within the framework of the emergency aid agreement, which provides for supplying up to 500MW. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said on 2 November: “The NEURCU (the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission of Ukraine, which carries out state regulation in the energy and utilities sectors – editor’s note) would not extend the ban on electricity imports from 1 November. Therefore, it is physically and legally possible to import electricity from Belarus to Ukraine. It is up to the companies, the energy market, whether it will take advantage of it or not. Such a possibility exists,” Shmygal said. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Earlier, Ukrenergo announced auctions for electricity imports due to the expiration of the ban on such imports. The ban was extended by NEURCU until 31 October. Last week Energoatom booked almost all capacity of interstate power lines for November for power supplies from Belarus. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko earlier said that the country lags behind its plans to stockpile coal for the heating season and intends to increase its own production and imports. At the same time, Shmygal said that the country is fully prepared for the heating season amid the energy crisis in Europe. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, Ukraine suspended electricity import from Belarus and Russia for the period from 26 May to 1 October 2021. Subsequently, the embargo was extended till 31 Oct 2021. This embargo was initiated by the Ukrainian Energy Ministry. Earlier, in April 2020, Ukraine already suspended imports of electricity from Russia and Belarus. Valeriy Tarasyuk, head of Ukraine’s National Commission for State Regulation of Energy Supplies and Utilities, said in May that Ukraine should restore it after the pandemic, but in fact electricity imports from Belarus were resumed on 3 January 2021 and from Russia on 1 February 2021. </p> <p>   </p> <p> According to official statistics, in January-April 2021, Belarus exported electricity only to Ukraine, </p> <p> With 522.3m kWh supplied worth $24.32m. The average price of electricity exported from Belarus in January-April 2021 decreased by 7.2% year on year to $46.56 per thousand kWh. </p> <p>   </p> <p> In 2020, Belarus reduced electricity exports to Ukraine by 80% year on year to 154.6 million kWh, and by 80% in monetary terms, to $7.768 million. The average price of electricity exported from Belarus to Ukraine in 2020 decreased by 6% year on year to $50.251 per thousand kWh. End </p>

2021-11-09

Primepress