Gas Consumption Down 40% Since Beginning Of War - Halushchenko

Since the beginning of the war, gas consumption has decreased by 40%.

This is stated in the message of the Ministry of Energy, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"We start preparing for the new heating season the day after the end of the previous one. Currently, preparations for the heating season are proceeding according to plan. Schedules for both the repair campaign and the accumulation of energy resources have been approved. A large amount of work is also related to preparing for possible emergency situations, which, first of all, may arise as a result of shelling by the Russians," said Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.

He emphasized that various scenarios for the passage of the heating season have been developed, while the planned volumes of gas and coal accumulation are focused primarily on critical scenarios in order to ensure energy supply for the population even under the most difficult conditions.

Halushchenko also drew attention to the fact that after the full-scale invasion of Russia, the consumption of energy carriers, in particular, gas, decreased by about 40%.

In view of this, as well as the unfolding of the situation at the front, the volumes of gas required for accumulation during the preparation for the heating season may be updated.

"At the same time, the gas reserve is also needed for the sustainable passage of possible crisis situations, when it may also be needed for the production of electricity. In the conditions of war, due to enemy shelling, logistical problems may arise with the delivery of coal to heat-generating enterprises, and under such conditions, gas will be needed as an alternative type fuel," explained the minister.

Halushchenko also reported that the accumulation of coal is on schedule.

He emphasized that the Ukrainian energy system works stably and produces a sufficient amount of electricity, currently even with a surplus.

"According to our calculations, there will be absolutely enough electricity to supply consumers during the heating season, even with an increase in consumption," the minister assured.

Halushchenko reminded that last year the maximum load on the system reached 25,000 MW, and in such conditions the system continued to work stably.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, gas reserves in underground storage facilities exceed 12 billion cubic meters.

Previously, the Cabinet of Ministers instructed the Naftogaz of Ukraine national joint-stock company to ensure the accumulation of 19 billion cubic meters of gas in UGS before the beginning of the heating season.

As of April 9, gas reserves in underground storages decreased by 41.8% or 6.4 billion cubic meters to 9.1 billion cubic meters compared to data on the same date last year (15.58 billion cubic meters).