The government has laid in the draft 2017 state budget the price of gas at the level of 6,686 hryvnyas per 1,000 cu.m., Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk told RBC-Ukraine on 19 September.
"The Ministry of Economic Development has included the price of gas in the national budget at the level of 6,686 hryvnyas per 1,000 cu.m.," the minister said. With the annual average dollar exchange rate at 27.2 hryvnyas per dollar, gas is expected to cost 245 dollars per 1,000 cu.m.
Nasalyk said he had asked the national oil and gas company Naftohaz Ukrayiny to provide information on the purchase price of imported gas.
"For three weeks, I have not received an answer," the energy minister complained, noting that the price of imported gas in 2017 still remains unclear.
In June, Ihor Nasalyk said that in four to five years, Ukraine would no longer need to import gas. The national programme, the Curve of Independence, provides for an increase in domestic production of gas by 6-6.5bn cu.m., including by developing the production of biogas and drastic reducing the inefficient consumption of gas.