Energy savings, producing own energy resources will let Ukraine cut gas imports - Kluyev
Kyiv. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Introducing energy-saving technology and developing its own energy resources will allow Ukrine to cut by at least half its imports of expensive Russian gas, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Andrei Kluyev has said.
The NSDC press service said that, during a Euronews TV interview, Kluyev said that energy-efficiency and ensuring energy independence were for Ukraine "one of the main issues of our country's national security."
"We import natural gas at one of the highest prices in Europe and this, naturally, rather seriously hits our economy, the budgetary sphere, housing and communal services," Kluyev said.
On the other hand, he said, the high cost of gas prompts Ukrainian enterprises, including in the housing and public sectors, to adopt energy-efficient and energy-conserving technologies.
"And the government of Ukraine is making maximum effort to stimulate these processes," Kluyev said.
He noted that the country is with the European Union carrying out an energy-efficiency program in the context of Eastern Europe partnership projects.
"We have now in five regional centers and at ten smaller cities worked out pilot projects for the introduction of energy-efficient and energy-conserving technologies in housing and communal services. Now these projects are developing rather well. From their results we will see just how effective they are, how justifiable would it be to distribute similar programs over all of Ukraine," Kluyev said.
