The Ukraine acknowledges shortage of gas reserves for the winter

The Ukraine has not enough gas reserves to normally meet the heating season, the Ukrainian Minister of Energy and the Coal Industry Yuri Prodan stated.

Prodan says that the country has only 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas for the whole autumn and winter and that is not enough. He added that the Ukraine was working on an increase of reverse supplies from European countries. Yuri Prodan also recalled that the economic regime was introduced - state-financed organizations reduced their gas consumption by 10%, and enterprises of Teplokommunenergo by 30%.

According to the Association of European Operators of Underground Gas Storage Dacilities, in July 4-11th, the Ukraine increased the amount of gas in its underground storages to 14.5 billion cubic meters. Ukrainian storages are 45% filled. It’s necessary to have about 18 billion cubic meters of gas by the heating season.