16 June 2020, Tuesday, 18:52 281

Gazprom Wants To Destroy Theoretical Possibility Of Future Gas Transit Through Ukraine – GTS Operator Of Ukraine

Editor: Daria Zubkova

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The Gazprom gas company (Russia) wants to destroy even the theoretical possibility of transmission of natural gas on transit through Ukraine in the future.

Sergei Makohon, the director of the state-owned Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTS Operator of Ukraine), announced this in an interview with the Oilpoint publication, the Ukrainian News Agency reports.

“Gazprom has begun dismantling the pipes on its territory through which gas is delivered to its border with Ukraine. That is a problem, but there is nothing in particularly we can do to influence it. They essentially want to destroy even the theoretical possibility of gas transit through Ukraine in the future," said Makohon.

He added that the GTS Operator of Ukraine was not refusing to perform transmission of small volumes of gas on transit.

"Yes, capacities will become smaller, but we will be able to transmit small volumes of gas – 20-30 billion cubic meters – on transit. Its transmission will be performed through the same pipelines through which domestic transmission will be performed," Makohon said.

According to him, the GTS Operator of Ukraine is currently investing in the facilities that will be used for domestic transmission of natural gas because it is necessary to deliver gas from importers and producers to consumers, regardless of future relations with Gazprom.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the GTS Operator of Ukraine received UAH 25 billion under the gas transit contract between the Naftogaz of Ukraine national energy company and Gazprom in the first five months of 2020.

Makohon said earlier that Russia was making full payment for transit of natural gas at the rate of 178 million cubic meters per day.

Transit of natural gas through Ukraine’s gas transmission system under the contract between Naftogaz of Ukraine and Gazprom increased by 2.813 billion cubic meters or 3.24% to 89.583 billion cubic meters in 2019, compared with 2018.

Naftogaz of Ukraine, the GTS Operator of Ukraine, and Gazprom signed the contract for transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe from 2020.

Under the new five-year gas transit contract, which can be extended after 2024, Ukraine and Russia agreed that the gas transit volume would be 65 billion cubic meters of gas in 2020 and 40 billion cubic meters per year in the period of 2021-2024.