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Ukraine Gets No Charge Out of Russia
Ukraine may stop importing electricity from Russia on December 1, Fent Di, press secretary to Ukrainian Minister of Fuel and Energy Yury Prodan, reported. Di said that the volume of electricity being imported from Russia has already been reduced from 500 MW to 200 MW and complete cessation of import is being discussed. “The volume of import has significantly decreased and is now 200 MW,” Di said. “There has been a decision on gradually lowering the volume to the minimum and taking it to zero before December 1.” The issue of import volume will be settled between Ukrinterenergo and Inter RAO UES in accordance with current contracts, Di added.
The contract between Ukrinterenergo and Inter RAO UES remains in force to the end of this year. Russia reduced electricity exports to Ukraine from 700 MW to 500 MW on October 15. Exports to Ukraine began on September 15 after unscheduled repairs to the second block of the Khmelnitsky atomic energy plant. Prodan noted that it is more economical for Ukraine to import electricity from Russia than to generate its own.
Ukraine exported electricity until August of this year, in spite of an insufficient rate of fuel storage in electric plant reserves. Prodan said that there are plans for Ukraine to stop exporting electricity to Poland this month because of a shortage on the market. “This month, deliveries were cut by 51 percent, from 200-215 MW to 100 MW,” he said. Exports may be resumed in 2009, he added.
www.kommersant.com
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