Naftogaz will provide natural gas to all consumers. Most contracts have already been signed, Oleksiy Chernyshov, Chairman of the Board of the Naftogaz stated in an interview with LB.ua.
"The previous heating season was very nervous for us. We were accumulating additional gas volumes during the winter, also turning to our international partners. At the beginning of winter, we managed to secure +1 bcm of gas thanks to the support of the G7 countries and the EBRD. We realise that objectively, the previous winter was quite warm... We used less gas due to climatic conditions," he said.
According to Chernyshov, Naftogaz is preparing for this winter responsibly.
"Do we expect a colder one? The winter will be colder, but according to forecasts, including international ones, it is not expected to be severe and extreme. Therefore, we are confident enough to enter the winter. And the need to save money is a very important topic. It is one of my priorities. Unfortunately, Ukraine is among the most inefficient countries in terms of energy consumption, particularly natural gas. And this has to change radically, it has to change urgently. There are two ways to do this. The first is the introduction of an energy market: it should cost as much as it does on the market, so that it is treated accordingly. The second (which should happen simultaneously) is the introduction of energy efficiency measures. It is very difficult to motivate investments in energy efficiency at the level of farms (both small and large) when the price of energy, in particular natural gas, is regulated," he emphasised.
The Naftogaz CEO is confident that the measures taken to implement the energy market in Ukraine will directly reduce consumption.
"They will motivate energy-efficient projects and programs. And in this aspect, we have had access to European funding for years. But all this must happen simultaneously. That is, you cannot develop energy efficiency without letting go of the market," Chernyshov added.
He emphasised that Naftogaz is ready to provide all consumers with natural gas.
"We have accumulated the appropriate volumes to do this... Despite all these processes and some traditional politicisation before the start of the heating season, I assure our consumers - and these are not only households, but also municipalities, cities, communities, and district heating companies - that we are actively concluding contracts for the supply of natural gas. We have already signed most of them and are ready to ensure a stable winter in terms of volumes and our capacities. In Kyiv in particular," said Chernyshov.