Ukraine targets 10% reduction in natural gas price in 2014 - energy ministry
BEIJING. Dec 5 (Interfax) - Ukraine plans to pay 10% less for natural gas on average in 2014 and will continue reducing import volumes, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky told journalists in Beijing on Thursday.
"At a minimum, we are counting on 10% less on an average annual basis [compared with 2013], beginning with the second quarter of 2014," he said.
As for Ukraine's natural gas import plans, Stavytsky said: "If we are able to meet all our goals for 2015, overall gas consumption will fall by at least 5%."
Reducing consumption next year will be difficult given the steep cuts in consumption in the last three years, he said. "We have cut national gas consumption by more than 45% overall."
Ukraine plans to maintain gas transit volumes at 90 billion cubic meters a year in 2014, he said.
