Russia ready to acquire electricity from Ukraine for Crimea - deputy energy minister
MOSCOW. Dec 24 (Interfax) - Russia is ready to buy electricity from Ukraine for Crimea.
"We always say that we are ready to get electricity [from Ukraine]," Deputy Russian Energy Minister Andrei Cherezov said in an interview with the Rossia 24 TV channel.
"There are no negative decisions from the fact that we want to get electricity [from Ukraine]," he said.
In essence, the topic for discussion is about a supply at least before the second phase of an energy bridge to the Crimea is operational, which is scheduled for April-May 2016, after which the total power, excluding Ukrainian flows will be 1,300 MW. So far only the first phase of the energy bridge has been launched.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "it can not be allowed that when we fully power [Crimea] with four electricity grids, and fully cover the everything, that there is energy supplied by Ukraine to Crimea, that contracts for the supply of electricity from Ukraine continue. Since our Ukrainian partners have resumed [electricity deliveries], then, good, we'll take it, and in response we need to resume coal supplies to Ukraine," he said.
The Energy Ministry's press service said that with increasing power flows for the energy bridge from the Kuban grid to Crimea that purchases of Ukrainian electricity will be reduced.
