“Ukrainians will feel the new gas transportation tariffs through prices”, Oleh Popenko
31 December 2024 11:19
OPINION
The National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced a fourfold increase in gas transportation tariffs from January 1 – from UAH 124.16 to UAH 501.97 per 1000 cubic meters.
"Komersant Ukrainian" asked energy expert Oleh Popenko what consumers should expect from this increase and whether the price of gas for households will change.
According to the expert, there will certainly be changes, but the current heating season will still be held with the current tariffs
“The cost of gas distribution for households will not increase for the time being. But this is for now. I think that before the next heating season, 2025-2026, the cost of distribution will still be increased,”
– emphasized Popenko in an exclusive comment
The expert explains that the tariff increase will have a cascading effect on the economy:
“This will be reflected, first of all, in the cost of services of district heating companies and thermal power plants. They receive gas through the unified gas transportation system in large volumes, and all this will lead to additional costs on their part.”
And the increase in prices for the services of district heating companies and thermal power plants will affect the price of every product in the country, the expert says.
“For ordinary Ukrainians, the consequences will be felt through a general increase in prices. This will affect the cost of goods and services that we consume every day. This will especially affect the cost of electricity, as thermal power plants will have to pay more for gas transportation,”
– emphasizes Oleg Popenko.
The National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Utilities said that the decision to raise the transportation tariff was made in connection with the suspension of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.
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Situation in the Ukrainian energy sector
on March 22, 2024, Russia resumed its attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector, carrying out one of the most massive shelling operations in the entire period of the full-scale war. In particular, DniproHES and other Ukrainian energy facilities were hit. Since then, Russia has been regularly shelling Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
For example, the Russians destroyed the Trypillia and Zmiiv thermal power plants, causing Centrenergo to lose 100% of its generation. Also, 5 of DTEK’s 6 thermal power plants were severely damaged.
After that, power outages began again in Ukraine, Ukrenergo introduced blackout schedules, and the government raised electricity tariffs by 60% at once.
At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to build two new units at the Khmelnytsky N PP and has already received approval from the relevant parliamentary committee. The Razumkov Center has criticized these plans, but some experts believe that only traitors or scoundrels are against the construction of nuclear power plants today.
Russia launched another massive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector on August 26. This time, they targeted distribution and power generation systems, and also hit the Kyiv hydroelectric power plant.
Russia carried out the most massive shelling of Ukraine on November 17, 2024, firing 127 cruise, ballistic, and supersonic missiles and 109 attack drones. DTEK reported serious damage to its thermal power plants.
Some experts believe that the blackouts could last until spring. And the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine recently voiced a worst-case scenario that envisages blackouts of up to 20 hours a day.
