KYIV. April 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine seeks in the medium term outlook by 2020 to attract an additional $200 million of loans on the international market and investment from private companies to invest in transport infrastructure, rolling stock and increase the quality of services.
This is presented in the medium term priority action plan of the government outlined in government resolution No. 275-r dated April 3, 2017.
According to the document, in 2016, budget spending on the transport sector totaled UAH 29.2 billion or 3.32% of all expenditure of the consolidated budget of Ukraine. Some 52% was financed using the national budget funds and UAH 13.9 billion was provided by local budgets.
“The need in financing of only repair of roads is UAH 39 billion a year. By 2021, public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia seeks to spend UAH 108 billion to repair and buy rolling stock,” reads the document.
Capital investment in the transport sector in 2016 amounted to UAH 24.616 billion, including UAH 8.728 billion in the warehouse services and auxiliary services, and UAH 14.957 billion in overland transport and pipelines.
KYIV. April 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The volume of construction works in Ukraine in March 2017 increased by 11.5% compared to March 2016, while the increase in February 2017 from February 2016 was 4.8%.
The State Statistics Service said the data are given without taking into account the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and Sevastopol and part of the anti-terrorist operation zone in the east of Ukraine. Data on Donetsk and Luhansk regions could be adjusted.
According to the service, the volume of construction works carried out in March 2017 from February 2017 increased by 20%, whereas in February 2017 from January 2017 it grew by 2.3%.
According to the report, in March 2017 from March 2016 the growth in the volume of construction work was observed in all the areas of construction. The largest increase in the figure was recorded in construction of non-residential buildings by 19%.
In March 2017 from February 2017 the volume of construction work in construction of residential buildings increased by 36.2%, in construction of non-residential buildings by 20.3%, and in construction of engineering facilities by 8.5%.
In January-March 2017 from January-March 2016 the volume of construction work reduced in nine regions of Ukraine. The largest decrease in the figure for the three months of this year was observed in Mykolaiv (by 41.8%, to UAH 253.6 million) and Vinnytsia regions (24.1%, to UAH 240.8 million).
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Chinese investors are interested in the Ukrainian market, but to get Chinese investment Ukraine must, first of all, ensure the security of such investments, Ambassador of China to Ukraine Du Wei has stated.
“Investors are interested [in the market]… However, this remains only an intention… To implement these investments, it is still necessary to solve a number of issues and to do a lot of work. The most important thing is to ensure the security of investments,” he said at a press conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China in Kyiv.
The official said the most attractive sectors for Chinese investors are agriculture, transport, logistics and energy.
“In recent years enterprises and businessmen have invested over $7 billion in Ukraine,” the ambassador said.
“The free trade area is an important measure in the policy of developing relations with other countries… Our experts are studying, analyzing and assessing this cooperation [with Ukraine],” the Chinese ambassador said.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Chinese government expresses its readiness to introduce a visa-free regime with Ukraine on the basis of the will of the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei has said.
“The Chinese side is ready at any time, in accordance with the readiness of the two sides, on the principle of equality and mutual benefit, to take new measures for the exchange of people between our countries, including a visa-free regime,” he said at a press conference on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China in Kyiv on Friday.
The diplomat also said that the Chinese side welcomes the decision of the European Union to liberalize the visa regime with Ukraine.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – DTEK Energo has started reconstruction of unit 10 of Burshtyn thermal power plant (TPP) for UAH 1.1 billion (around $40 million), the company’s press service has reported.
By December 2017 it is planned to replace aggregates and upgrade the unit’s systems, which would allow improving its production and environment friendly characteristics.
A turbine, a boiler drum, a transformer for own needs, turbine generator excitation systems will be replaced and the generator, coal pulverization systems and other equipment will be completely reconstructed. Emission will be reduced thanks to the replacement of the filter.
Reconstruction would allow increasing the capacity of the unit from 195 MW to 210 MW. Its lifespan would be extended to 15 years. Emission will be reduced to 50 mg per cubic meter, which suits European standards.
DTEK said that early June reconstruction of unit 1 of Kryvy Rih TPP will be finished. Reconstruction of unit 10 of Burshtyn TPP will be third project for this plant. Since 2012, DTEK has invested over $180 million in overhaul and upgrade of equipment at the units of this TPP.
KYIV. April 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Weidmann Malyn paper factory (MPF, Zhytomyr region), the producer of electrical insulating board for power engineering machines in Ukraine, saw a 4.3-fold rise in net profit in 2016, reaching UAH 36.06 million.
According to a company report, net revenue grew by 23%, to UAH 511.04 million.
The factor saw UAH 107.52 million of gross profit (UAH 98.25 million a year ago), while its operating profit fell by 6.7%, to UAH 63.44 million.
As reported, in 2015 the company saw UAH 8.45 million of net profit compared to UAH 41.13 million of net loss in 2014.
According to the report, in 2016 the factor sold over 4,000 tonnes of paper for UAH 193.63 million and 5,750 tonnes of cardboard for UAH 282.19 million.
Some 30% of electrical insulating paper and crepe paper was sold in Ukraine, 20% in the CIS and 40% in other countries.
The key rivals in production of these types of paper are Russia’s Segezha pulp and paper mill and Energia LLC.
Transformer board was mainly sold in non-CIS countries (50%), as well as in Ukraine (20%) and CIS countries. The key rivals are Russian, Turkish and German companies.
MPF Weidmann is a member of the WICOR international group, the only company in Eastern Europe that can supply almost all kinds of electrical insulating paper and cardboard meeting regional and international standards.
