The Rada Committee on Energy Issues supported a bill banning electricity supplies from Russia and Belarus.
This was announced by the deputy of the Ukrainian parliament from the party "European Solidarity" Alexey Goncharenko.
The document under consideration in the Rada provides for amendments to section XVII "Final and Transitional Provisions" of the Law of Ukraine "On the Electricity Market" on the extension of the powers of the regulator.
The explanatory note to the bill states that ensuring Ukraine's energy security includes independence from countries that "use energy resources as an instrument of pressure, both economic and political."
Ukraine is integrated into the European space, including the energy sector, but these aspirations of Kiev are resisted by countries outside the Energy Community (Energy Community of South East Europe or Energy Community), the authors of the document say.
Therefore, it is necessary to extend the powers of the national regulator in the issue of limiting the bandwidth between Ukraine and these states, the bill says.
We are also talking about the possibility of canceling the results of the annual auction, at which the bandwidth for 2020 and 2021 was distributed between Ukraine and countries outside the Energy Community.
As explained by a RT source at the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, the new bill is intended to replace the norm, which had expired on January 1, according to which the regulator could cancel the results of auctions for access to interstate cross-sections with countries that are not members of the Energy Community, in particular Russia and Belarus.
“Therefore, the bill appeared, because the cabinet of ministers considers it necessary to extend the ban for this year.
This is a political decision, so the document will be adopted, ”the official said.
And about.
Minister of Energy of Ukraine Dmitry Vitrenko
globallookpress.com
© Serg Glovny / ZUMAPRESS.com
This step by the authorities is part of a general strategy, within the framework of which Ukraine is trying to reorient itself in the energy field from cooperation with Russia to partnership with the EU, experts say.
For example, January 23rd and.
about.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Dmitry Vitrenko said that the country should "urgently disconnect from the united energy system with Belarus and Russia" and merge with the European system.
“And this will just be one of my main tasks - so that we are part of Europe, a normal market, where there is no arbitrariness of monopolists, where there is a normal, transparent price,” the official said, adding that such measures meet the national interests of Ukraine and its energy security ...
Continuation of the previous course
As a reminder, Ukraine stopped buying electricity from Russia in November 2015.
At the same time, a few months earlier, the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine (then this post was held by Vladimir Demchishin -
RT
) stated that the import of Russian electricity is profitable, since the cost of Ukrainian generation is higher than the price of external supplies.
According to him, at that time the price of Russian electricity for Ukraine was 90 Ukrainian kopecks per kW / h (2.4 rubles), and Ukrainian - 95 kopecks per kW / h.
(2.5 rubles).
However, four years later, in September 2019, the Rada allowed the resumption of the purchase of electricity from Russia and Belarus under bilateral agreements.
The Verkhovna Rada
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© Volodymyr Tarasovukrinform / Keystone Press Agency
Deliveries began in October, but in December the Rada adopted amendments to the law "On the Electricity Market", which provided for a ban on the import of capacities from Russia.
At the same time, the government reserved the right to lift this restriction to prevent emergencies in the Ukrainian power system.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the document on December 25, 2019.
In April 2020, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NERC) duplicated these measures, limiting electricity imports from Russia and Belarus to zero.
The Commission ordered the annulment of the results of the auctions at which the capacity for 2020 was previously allocated between Ukraine and countries outside the Energy Community.
The NEURC explained this step by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Allegedly, in an epidemic, the execution of contracts may be disrupted due to a lack of personnel.
However, in mid-December 2020, the commission again lifted all restrictions on the import of electricity from Russia and Belarus and allowed the conclusion of supply contracts in 2021.
The ban was lifted on time - in January 2021, Ukraine had to request emergency supplies of electricity from Belarus due to abnormal cold weather.
According to the Belarusian Ministry of Energy, Minsk supplied 3.1 million kWh of electricity to Kiev under this application.
As Mikhail Krivoguz, a leading researcher at IMEMO RAS, noted in a commentary on RT, the new initiative, which was approved by the Rada's profile committee, is no different from previous bans.
Vladimir Zelensky
© REUTERS / Valentyn Ogirenko
“The situation can be compared with the situation in the gas industry.
Since 2015, Kiev has also refused to import Russian gas for political reasons, ”the expert explained.
Speaking about why NEURCU previously allowed the import of electricity from Russia and Belarus, Krivozuz noted that this structure employs specialists who understand the benefits of such supplies.
“Professionals, of course, understand that buying electricity from Russia is beneficial, first of all, for Ukraine itself.
But politicians are against it.
Thus, they only complicate the situation in the Ukrainian economy, ”the expert added.
Commercial lobbying
It is worth noting that since the beginning of 2021, the preferential tariff for electricity has ceased to operate in Ukraine, which was applied through the imposition of special duties (SSO) on some suppliers.
Refusal of the GUS mechanism would lead to an increase in tariffs for the population to 3.30 hryvnia (8.8 rubles) per kWh.
The government had to soften the blow and prolong the operation of the GUS, however, the preferential tariff for the first 100 kW / h was canceled, which was previously 90 Ukrainian kopecks (2.4 rubles).
Now the cost of electricity for consumers is 1.68 hryvnia (4.5 rubles) per kW / h, including the first 100 kW / h.
According to experts, the rise in Ukrainian tariffs is largely due to Kiev's plans to abandon the import of Russian electricity.
Banknotes of Ukraine on a gas meter
RIA News
“Everyone knows that the more different suppliers there are, the lower the prices.
But the Ukrainian government wants to buy electricity and energy resources only from the West.
And consumers have to pay for it, "said an RT source in the Golos party.
In turn, the RT source in the Servant of the People party believes that the political motive is not the only one in this issue.
“There is also a struggle within the country.
Such a ban is beneficial, for example, to DTEK and the oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, loyal to the country's leadership.
On the other hand, it is not profitable for other businessmen, whose companies buy electricity.
Many businessmen have long been talking about the need to renew relations with Russia and not give up buying electricity, but the pro-European point of view wins, ”the source said.
Economist and political scientist Alexander Dudchak shares a similar opinion.
According to the expert, Ukrainian electricity producers are actively lobbying for their interests.
“The ban is caused not only by political reasons, but also by business interests.
In this case, ideology serves rather to cover and promote them.
However, for ordinary citizens there is no difference why they have to overpay for electricity, ”the expert emphasized.
According to Mikhail Krivoguz, the ban on Russian supplies will not leave Ukraine without electricity - the country has not bought much electricity from Russia in recent years.
“But even such purchases helped smooth out peaks in electricity consumption.
For example, it was very helpful during frosts and had an impact on the market.
Therefore, it is quite possible to expect that the final ban on supplies in the event of the adoption of the new amendment will lead to another increase in tariffs, as has already happened with gas, ”the expert summed up.