Ukraine has won another glorious victory - this time in the field of energy. The National Commission of Ukraine, which carries out state regulation in the spheres of energy and utilities (NEURC), announced the termination of purchases of electricity from Russia and Belarus for a period of four months - until October 1. This decision is due to the desire to achieve energy independence from external sources. Ultra-right radicals are extremely unhappy with the fact that the procurement ban is temporary, they insist that it be introduced on a permanent basis.
But the Ukrainian authorities cannot afford to take such a step. Last winter, which turned out to be extremely cold, Kiev twice had to turn to Moscow and Minsk with a request for emergency assistance. Now, at the end of the heating period, Ukraine has enough own energy generation. That is why Energy Minister German Galushchenko sent an appeal to NEURC to impose a ban on the import of electricity from countries that are not part of the European Energy Community, including Russia and Belarus.
“We are taking this decision on the initiative of the Minister of Energy German Galushchenko, who addressed us with such a request. At the same time, we remember our experience and this winter and remember the balance of interests, because we also think about consumers, and that, in theory, the termination of imports as a market mechanism can lead to abuse and manipulation in the market, ”said Chairman of NEURC Valery Tarasyuk.
Actually, in the field of energy, Ukraine is moving the same course as in politics.
It strives to become part of the European space.
The Ukrainian leadership cherishes plans in 2023 to synchronize the country's Unified Energy System with ENTSO-E (the unified energy system of Europe).
However, experts say that these plans are not destined to come true.
For synchronization, it is necessary to virtually completely rebuild the entire structure of the Ukrainian energy sector.
This will require at least $ 40 million. Construction work will take at least ten years.
Russia will not even notice Ukraine's refusal to purchase, since the Ukrainian direction is deeply secondary in terms of the volume of supplied electricity.
In total, the aggregate is less than 5%.
But among the Ukrainian oligarchs there are beneficiaries of the adopted decision.
Rinat Akhmetov and his electricity supply company DTEK benefit from import restrictions.
Cheap Russian electricity prevents domestic monopolists from dictating prices in the markets.
By the way, electricity tariffs in Ukraine are two to three times higher than in Russia.
One megawatt-hour costs 2,000 hryvnia (5,400 rubles).
In general, the situation in the Ukrainian energy system is deteriorating at a faster pace.
Coal reserves in TPP warehouses last winter were two times lower than the minimum required volume.
In February, all four units of the Zaporizhzhya TPP, owned by Akhmetov, were shut down.
At the same time, an accident occurred at the Kurakhovskaya TPP.
According to experts, the depreciation of fixed assets in the Ukrainian energy sector reaches 90%.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.