NEURC believes that gas exports should be resumed
19 March 2024 18:31
The National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) is in favour of lifting the ban on natural gas exports from Ukraine. This was announced by Oleksandr Kosyanchuk, Director of the Department for Regulation of Relations in the Oil and Gas Sector of the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission, Komersant Ukrainskyi 
with reference to RBC-Ukraine.
“We, the regulator, have always advocated and will always advocate market mechanisms. An export ban is not a market mechanism, so we are in favour of lifting the export ban gradually. Perhaps this should be discussed. Of course, energy security comes first, but it needs to be done,” he said,
– he said.
Kosyanchuk also noted that European legislation is deeply implemented in the Ukrainian natural gas market, and the market itself is deeply integrated into the European one.
“The auctions are working, there is access to capacities, underground storage facilities are operating, imports exist, but there are obstacles to exports. This is an objective truth and a real obstacle to market integration,”
– the official emphasised.
Domestic gas market experts agree with this. In particular, Oleksiy Kucherenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Housing and Communal Services, former Minister of Housing and Communal Services, believes that the ban on gas exports artificially limits gas production in Ukraine.
