KYIV. Sept 27 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The deadline for implementing a catalog of measures to join the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) by Ukraine is July 2022, according to a presentation of Ukrenergo Head Vsevolod Kovalchuk at a roundtable in the Verkhovna Rada held on September 22.
According to the document, then Ukraine is to work in the isolated mode (detached from Russia). Eventually ENTSO-E is obliged to discuss the integration of its operation with the Ukrainian power grid.
Ukrenergo said that the integration with ENTSO-E would considerably strengthen stability of the Ukrainian power grid and minimize dependence on coal supplies to the country’s power plants. The general technological level of exploitation of the power grid and security of supplies would expand thanks to tough requirements for the preparation for the integration.
Ukrenergo predicts that the integration would allow boosting annual volumes of trade with electricity with European countries from current 4-5 billion kWh to 18-20 billion kWh. This is linked to the more effective use of existing production facilities, in particular, nuclear power plants.
The integration would also bring European rules of protecting consumers’ rights and improve the quality of services.
The company said that consumers would be able to freely choose the best supplier for themselves, including foreign ones, in the conditions of the new market model.
“The free commercial exchange of electricity, its exports and imports on the transparent market conditions between Ukraine and Europe is the best tool for preventing monopoly, forming the fair price of electricity and related services on the domestic market,” Kovalchuk said.
He proposed that the key tasks for the integration at the parliamentary level are set, a coordination center at the Cabinet of Ministers is created and a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on the issue is held to coordinate the processes linked to Ukraine’s joining ENTSO-E.
