As of now, Oschadbank has signed loan agreements in the energy sector totaling 11 billion UAH, which is more than 1.5 times the amount for all of 2025, when such agreements totaled 6.77 billion UAH, said Yuriy Katsion, Chairman of the Board of Oschadbank.
“Investors in the energy sector can still be called the biggest optimists in the country today. It is they who, despite all the risks, are investing in the country’s future. Lending trends confirm growing business interest in this sector: while Oschadbank concluded energy sector loan agreements totaling 6.77 billion hryvnias for the entire year of 2025, their volume reached 11 billion hryvnias in 2026,” said Katsion during the first annual forum of the Ukrainian Renewable Energy Association, UKRAINE RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENDA 2027, which took place recently in Kyiv.
According to him, these figures demonstrate the business community’s readiness to invest in the country’s energy independence and implement long-term projects.
As Oschadbank clarified in a press release following the forum, of the total volume of loan agreements concluded by Oschadbank to finance the energy sector in 2026, 8.83 billion UAH went to corporate clients, and another 1.94 billion UAH went to micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. At the same time, half of the agreements in the MSME segment were concluded with the support of government and international programs. For comparison: in 2025, the volume of loan agreements in the energy sector amounted to 5.64 billion UAH for large corporate clients and 1.13 billion UAH for MSMEs.
At the forum, Katsion noted that for certain projects, the payback period can now be as short as three years, which increases the investment attractiveness of the energy sector and encourages businesses to invest more actively in new capacity.
At the same time, he noted that a key factor for continued growth in energy lending will be the reduction of the corporate income tax rate for banks to at least 25%, down from the current 50%.
According to the banker, such a high tax rate critically affects capital adequacy and limits the banking system’s ability to lend to the real economy.
The chairman of Oschadbank’s board identified forecasting medium- and long-term electricity prices as one of the key challenges for further attracting investment; therefore, insurance and hedging instruments for price risks should also become an important area of market development.
At the same time, Katsion noted that the bank has been granted the status of an active electricity consumer and is developing its own energy consumption management system.
As he told reporters on the sidelines, the entire branch network is equipped with inverters and battery systems that provide at least four hours of autonomous operation, and in most cases, up to eight hours.
Automated commercial electricity metering systems (ASKOE) have also been installed in branches and regional offices.
To manage this infrastructure, Oschadbank has established its own control center, which, among other things, tracks hourly electricity prices and determines the optimal times for charging and discharging the battery systems. According to him, this not only ensures the uninterrupted operation of the bank’s network during power outages but also generates economic benefits through optimized energy consumption.
The process of rapprochement between Moldova and Romania has effectively already begun thanks to the implementation of joint transport and energy projects, although the question of political unification of the two states remains open. This was stated by Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi in an interview with Romanian television channel TVR Info on November 6, 2026.
According to the minister, the construction of a motorway, new bridges across the Prut River, and energy interconnections is gradually creating conditions for closer economic integration between the two countries.
“It is already happening,” Popșoi said in response to a journalist’s question about the prospects for the unification of Moldova and Romania.
The minister identified the A8 motorway, known as the “Union Motorway” (Autostrada Unirii), as one of the key infrastructure projects. It is intended to connect Romania’s transport network to the Moldovan border near Ungheni.
Popșoi also drew attention to the construction of new bridges across the Prut River, which separates Moldova and Romania.
According to him, no new bridge had been built across the river for approximately 60 years, whereas a crossing is now under construction near Ungheni and other projects are being developed.
Another area of cooperation is the integration of energy infrastructure. The development of cross-border electricity interconnections is expected to improve the reliability of energy supply and expand opportunities for electricity exchange between the countries.
The head of Moldova’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that practical economic projects may prove to be a more effective instrument for bringing the two states closer together than political discussions about unification, which have continued for several decades.
At the same time, the minister acknowledged that he could not specify a timeframe for the possible political unification of Moldova and Romania.
He stressed that such a decision must be made democratically and transparently, with broad public support on both sides of the Prut River.
Popșoi also confirmed that, according to opinion polls, there is currently no majority of the population in Moldova supporting unification with Romania.
Moldova gained independence in 1991 following the collapse of the USSR. Romania has been a member of the European Union since 2007. The two countries maintain close historical, cultural, and economic ties, while the development of transport and energy infrastructure is regarded as one of the areas of regional integration.
Moldova obtained candidate status for accession to the European Union in June 2022 and officially began EU accession negotiations in June 2024.
ENERGY, EXPERTS CLUB, INFRASTRUCTURE, INTEGRATION, MOLDOVA, ROMANIA
Retail prices for automotive liquefied petroleum gas in Ukraine may rise to 66 UAH per liter at certain gas station chains in the second half of November 2026 due to a global shortage of the resource, rising import costs, and logistical challenges.
This was reported by the “A-95” Consulting Group in a press release dated November 6, based on the results of monitoring the Ukrainian and European fuel markets.
According to analysts, during October, the average retail price of autogas in Ukraine increased by 13.75 UAH/liter, to 57.66 UAH/liter. Thus, in just one month, the price of the fuel rose by approximately 31%.
As of November 6, the average price of liquefied gas at Ukrainian gas stations approached 60 UAH/liter.
Experts cite limited supply of propane and butane on the global market as the main reason for the price increase. Reduced production in the Gulf countries and disruptions to maritime transport due to security risks have led to a decrease in supplies from the Middle East.
As a result, Asian buyers, who traditionally purchase significant volumes of liquefied gas in this region, have begun to compete more actively with European consumers for American supplies.
At the same time, on the Ukrainian market, additional pressure on prices is being created by a shortage of liquefied gas in Poland, Romania, and Lithuania, which are the main sources of autogas imports into Ukraine.
The situation is complicated by rising transportation costs due to security risks in the Black Sea and queues at road border crossings.
According to “A-95,” as of November 6, offer prices for imported autogas at the Polish-Ukrainian border exceeded $1,500 per metric ton. At southern border crossings, the wholesale price also approached $1,500 per metric ton.
“Given the current offer prices for imported autogas, prices at certain gas station chains may rise to 66 UAH/liter in the second half of the month,” the “A-95” Consulting Group notes.
The forecast refers to possible price levels at specific chains, not the average price of autogas across Ukraine.
The “A-95” Consulting Group specializes in research on the Ukrainian petroleum products market, price monitoring, and analysis of fuel imports and fuel logistics.
The French company Schneider Electric is expanding its collaboration with Ukrainian energy professionals and engineering organizations in the areas of power grid digitalization, energy infrastructure automation, and improving the reliability of the power supply.
In particular, during the Ukrainian Designers’ Congress, which took place on October 1, 2026, in Kyiv, the company presented technologies for managing distribution grids, digital substations, power quality monitoring, and high-capacity energy storage systems.
According to a statement by the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NULES) on October 9, the event brought together design engineers, scientists, and representatives of the energy sector. The Congress was opened by Mykhailo Bubnov, CEO of Schneider Electric Ukraine LLC.
As part of the technical program, Schneider Electric specialists presented software solutions for designing power supply systems, low-voltage equipment, power quality monitoring tools, and digital management technologies for energy facilities.
In particular, participants were introduced to solutions for MicroGrid automated networks, the Smart RMU digital substation concept, as well as the PowerLogic T300/T500 and EasyLogic T150 controllers.
These technologies are designed for remote monitoring and control of power equipment, monitoring the status of grids, responding promptly to changes in power supply conditions, and automating electricity distribution.
A separate focus of the presentation was on high-capacity energy storage systems, which can be used to increase the flexibility of power systems and balance electricity generation and consumption.
For Ukraine, the implementation of such solutions is particularly important given the damage to energy infrastructure, the need to restore power supply, and the modernization of existing electrical grids.
Mykhailo Bubnov, CEO of Schneider Electric in Ukraine, has previously emphasized the significant potential of digital technologies in modernizing Ukrainian industry and infrastructure.
“In Ukraine, we see great potential for such solutions in industry, energy, infrastructure, logistics, and other sectors,” Bubnov noted in a statement released on October 6 during a discussion on the development of industrial digital technologies.
According to his assessment, the digitization of production processes and the use of intelligent control systems can help reduce unplanned equipment downtime, improve energy efficiency, and enable faster engineering decision-making.
Ukrainian electricity distribution system operators are also showing practical interest in Schneider Electric’s technologies.
In particular, on November 4, JSC “Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo” announced that its representatives had participated in a specialized technical event organized by “Schneider Electric Ukraine” for distribution system operators.
The meeting covered automation technologies for 6–35 kV power grids, digital substations compliant with the international standard IEC 61850, relay protection and automation systems, as well as dispatch control and telemechanics.
According to Andriy Stasevsky, head of Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo, such solutions can help improve the reliability of power supply to frontline areas and the resilience of distribution networks to military challenges.
Schneider Electric is also participating in the modernization of Ukraine’s municipal energy infrastructure.
Earlier, the company announced the implementation of a project to improve the energy efficiency of district heating systems in 26 Ukrainian cities. As part of the project, utilities received control cabinets for pumps and other process equipment, equipped with variable-frequency drives.
The equipment was delivered to heat supply companies in 15 regions of Ukraine, including Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Rivne, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, Zhytomyr, Odesa, Kirovohrad, Kherson, Sumy, Poltava, and Kyiv.
According to the company, the implementation of automation systems has enabled these companies to manage their pumping equipment more flexibly, optimize electricity consumption, and reduce the risk of unscheduled outages.
Schneider Electric links the further development of digital solutions for the Ukrainian energy sector to the automation of power grids, the expansion of remote control capabilities, energy consumption monitoring, and the implementation of modern energy storage technologies.
Schneider Electric is a French multinational company specializing in energy technologies, electrification, automation, and digitalization. Its products are used in industry, the energy sector, construction, data centers, and municipal infrastructure. The company has approximately 160,000 employees and works with a network of about 1 million partners in over 100 countries.
In Ukraine, Schneider Electric has commercial offices in Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa, and Mykolaiv, as well as an equipment warehouse, a design bureau, service support, and authorized training centers. Mykhailo Bubnov has headed the Ukrainian office since 2016.
Ukraine imported 1.42 million metric tons of automotive gasoline in January–October 2026, which is 12% more than during the same period last year, according to the “A-95” Consulting Group, based on the results of a fuel market study released on November 4.
According to the company, gasoline imports in October alone totaled 156,000 metric tons, which is 7% less than in October 2025.
At the same time, compared to September 2026, when imports totaled 145,000 metric tons, October imports increased by approximately 7.6%.
Thus, following a decline in import volumes in September, Ukrainian fuel market operators once again increased their gasoline purchases, although on a year-over-year basis, October’s imports remained lower than last year’s.
The “A-95” Consulting Group attributes the increase in supplies to so-called “generator demand,” which arises from the use of autonomous power sources by businesses, retail outlets, the service sector, and the general public.
“Gasoline remains the only motor fuel category for which the market is fully balanced. The increase in imports in October mirrors last year’s trend, driven by so-called generator demand,” A-95 noted.
According to analysts’ estimates, gasoline supplies to Ukraine will continue to rise through the end of 2026.
The main gasoline-supplying countries in October remained Lithuania, Poland, and Romania. Lithuania supplied 50,000 metric tons of fuel, Poland supplied 40,000 metric tons, and Romania supplied 35,000 metric tons.
These three countries accounted for about 80% of total October imports of automotive gasoline.
Among the largest importers, the OKKO network led the way, importing 45,000 metric tons of gasoline. Ukrnafta and WOG each imported 26,000 metric tons, while UPG imported about 22,000 metric tons.
Over the first ten months of 2026, motor gasoline imports exceeded last year’s figure by approximately 150,000 metric tons. In January–October 2025, Ukraine imported 1.27 million metric tons of gasoline.
Earlier, “A-95” reported that the decline in imports in September occurred against the backdrop of a seasonal drop in consumption and high retail fuel prices.
According to Experts.news, metallurgical production in Ukraine from January through September 2026 fell by 18.2% compared to the same period last year, while production volumes in the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector fell by 16.7%, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine (Derzhstat) reported on November 3.
According to the published data, a significant decline was also recorded in the production of coke and refined petroleum products—by 18.1%.
At the same time, the mining and quarrying sector showed a much smaller decline—by 0.2% compared to January–September 2025.
The negative trend in key industrial sectors is occurring against the backdrop of Russian attacks on industrial and energy infrastructure, energy supply restrictions, and the shutdown of certain large manufacturing enterprises.
In particular, according to information from the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association of enterprises, released on October 9, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises reduced steel production by 19.8% in January–September 2026 compared to the same period last year—to 4.431 million metric tons.
Pig iron production during this period decreased by 22.9%, to 4.463 million metric tons, while total rolled steel production fell by 23%, to 3.729 million metric tons.
A particularly significant decline was observed in September. According to preliminary data from the industry association, only 131,000 metric tons of steel were produced during the month, compared to 277,000 metric tons in August—a 52.7% decrease.
Pig iron output in September totaled 113,000 metric tons, compared to 257,100 metric tons in August, while rolled steel output stood at 137,000 metric tons, compared to 269,500 metric tons the previous month.
Thus, in just one month, steel smelting, pig iron production, and rolled steel output all fell by approximately half.
The figures provided by “Ukrmetallurgprom” reflect the output of specific types of metallurgical products in metric tons, whereas the State Statistics Service calculates the industrial production index based on a broader range of products within the relevant economic sector.
The challenges facing the metallurgical industry have implications for related sectors of the Ukrainian economy, including iron ore mining, rail transportation, the energy sector, coke production, and the scrap metal market.
The decline in steel production also limits the industry’s ability to export metal products and generate foreign exchange earnings from its operations.
Overall, industrial production in Ukraine fell by 1.9% over the first nine months of 2026, and in September, the decline accelerated to 9.2% year-over-year.
As previously reported, in 2025 the overall industrial production index fell by 1.7%, whereas in 2024 it rose by 4.7%.
Data from the State Statistics Service do not include temporarily occupied territories or parts of territories where hostilities are ongoing or have taken place.
Sources: State Statistics Service of Ukraine, data for January–September 2026; “Ukrmetallurgprom,” metallurgical industry performance results as of October 9, 2026.
