Naftogaz ready for Russian gas transit
KYIV. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Ukrainian national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy is ready to supply gas to Ukrainian consumers and to provide transit for Russian gas, the Ukrainian president's representative for international energy security, Bohdan Sokolovsky, said at a press conference in Kyiv on Friday.
"Naftogaz is fully ready to ensure gas for Ukrainian consumers and for transit of Russian gas through Ukraine," he said.
Naftogaz currently has about 26 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in underground storage. "That is quite enough to technologically fulfill the function of gas supply to domestic and foreign consumers," he said.
Naftogaz carried out the required maintenance work in the spring and summer, and the technical condition of the Ukrainian gas transportation system is "entirely satisfactory," he said.
"The zone of potential risks in the fall-winter period lie outside Ukraine," he added.
Ukraine's gas pipeline network can accept up to 288 billion bcm a year and deliver up to 178.5 bcm to border points, including 142.5 bcm to European countries. The transit distance for Russian gas shipments to Europe is defined as 1,240 kilometers.