Grote bezorgdheid om dreigend kolentekort

Het kabinet maakt zich ernstig zorgen om de kolenvoorraad. Premier Volodimir Hrojsman vergadert daarom vandaag met zijn minister van Energie en Kolen en de belangrijkste adviseurs op energiegebied over de stand van zaken. ''We zullen zuinig met steenkool om moeten springen'', is zijn voorlopige conclusie.

Dat kan er op duiden dat er de komende tijd weer geregeld (geplande) stroomonderbrekingen gaan komen, zoals ook afgelopen winter al gebeurde. Onderminister voor de Bezette Gebieden George Toeka waarschuwde eerder al dat de hele provincie Loehansk zonder stroom kan komen te zitten.

Een belangrijke oorzaak ligt in de blokkade van de aanvoerroute per spoor vanuit de door de separatisten bezette gebieden waar de meeste kolenmijnen van het land zijn. Oorlogsveteranen houden kolentreinen tegen omdat zij tegen handel met de separatisten zijn. Zij blokkeren daarom sinds 25 januari de spoorlijn van Loehansk naar Popasna.

Volgens premier Hrojsman zijn het echter in Oekraïne gevestigde bedrijven die er voor zorgen dat de Oekraïense energiecentrales van steenkolen worden voorzien. Bovendien betalen die bedrijven in Oekraïne hun belastingen, aldus de premier.

Bron: Unian

Groysman to convene meeting of energy staff to assess situation with coal reserves Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman plans to convene a meeting of the energy staff to assess the situation in the energy sector, in particular, with coal reserves. Economy 10:40, 13 February 2017 18 READ LATER Photo from UNIAN Photo from UNIAN "I have instructed to hold a meeting of the energy staff on February 13 to discuss the situation with the reserves. I think now we need to start saving coal," he said on one of Ukrainian TV channels. He explained that the need to assess the situation had been dictated, first of all, by the blockade of coal supplies from the ATO zone that had already reflected on metallurgical industry, as well as utility companies near the frontline. "I do not want to blame anyone for anything, but we need to look at things rationally. There must be an up-to-date control [of coal supplies from the ATO zone]," Groysman said. He believes it is necessary to ensure coal supplies, stressing the fact that the companies engaged in supplies are registered in Ukraine and pay Ukrainian taxes. Read also Ukraine boosts coal consumption by almost 10% in 2016 According to Groysman, the authorities should not let coal reserves fall to their minimum forcing the government to take tough measures. Groysman recalled that Ukraine had seen a similar situation in the summer of 2016, when coal mines were operating at full capacity due to the blocking of the operations of Energoatom, resulting in lower coal reserves at the beginning of the 2016-2017 heating season. Read also Groysman calls for unblocking coal supplies from militant-occupied areas "Then we barely leveled the situation. But we should not create problems now," Groysman said. As UNIAN reported earlier, after Russia ignited war in Donbas, Ukraine lost a large number of anthracite coal mines in the region. To solve the problem, Ukraine was buying fuel in the Republic of South Africa. As of today, anthracite in the militant-held territory is mined exclusively by DTEK owned by Rinat Akhmetov; however, coal supplies to the government-controlled territory are often interrupted. Read also Social Policy Minister speaks out against blockade of Donbas January 25, 2017 a group of ATO veterans blocked the Luhansk-Popasna railroad within the framework of a so-called trade blockade of the occupied areas of Donbas. Deputy Minister for the Occupied Territories and IDPs George Tuka said that the blockage could lead to the fact that the whole of Luhansk region would remain without electricity. Read also SBU warns of negative impact of blocking Donbas rail lines Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Ihor Nasalik said that the total blockade of coal supplies from the ATO zone would lead to rolling blackouts. He has emphasized that the responsibility for taking or not taking a decision on the blockade of anthracite coal supplies, on which Ukraine is short, should be taken by the Verkhovna Rada.

Read more on UNIAN: https://www.unian.info/economics/1773991-groysman-to-convene-meeting-of-energy-staff-to-assess-situation-with-coal-reserves.html