Ukrenergo expects to cope with electricity supplies in winter, plans to expand exports to Europe
MOSCOW. Sept 15 (Interfax) - All scenarios for how Ukraine will get through the fall and winter period of 2022-2023 envision that electricity will be supplied to all consumers, although the season itself will be very difficult, the CEO of state power company Ukrenergo, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said on the company's Telegram channel.
"In all the scenarios for getting through the fall-winter period that we modelled, including pessimistic ones with the loss of certain power plants, the challenge of supplying electricity to our customers is difficult, but achievable. The season will be difficult, but we'll manage," Kudrytskyi said.
Ukrenergo's main objective is to quickly restore energy infrastructure if it is damaged, he said.
The company already has reserves of the necessary equipment and is constantly increasing them, including with the help of European partners, and it is preparing repair crews for difficult jobs, he said.
As for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's involvement in the heating season, he said "various scenarios for getting through the fall-winter period are being modelled, with a various selection of generation, both with the ZNPP and without it." The plant has not produced electricity since September 11.
An important factor in the stability of Ukraine's energy system is synchronization with the European energy system, since this gives Ukraine electricity reserves outside of its borders, not just inside the country, Kudrytskyi said.
However, Ukrenergo is doing everything possible so that Ukraine remains an exporter of electricity to Europe, he said. "We are actively working with our European colleagues on expanding electricity exports to Europe. These exports have far greater potential than now," Kudrytskyi said.
The company is not considering limiting exports and this issue will be considered next week at a meeting of the ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators, he said.
There are plans to increase exports to Poland along one operating line starting October 1, and commercial supplies will be increased by the end of the year thanks to the launch of a second line, he said.
"We are on schedule for these projects, efficient work is underway between the operators of Ukraine and Poland," Kudrytskyi said.
He also said Ukraine can export coal to Poland. "Ukrenergo is responsible for building up strategic coal reserves. They have already been accumulated; the amounts are several times greater than reserves at this time last year. We can afford to export coal to Poland," Kudrytskyi said.
Ukrenergo does not expect there to be any restrictions on electricity supplies to Ukrainian consumers during the heating season at this point, he said.
"Restrictions on industrial consumers are possible only after exports are stopped. If we don't intend to stop exports, it means Ukrainian plants will also not be left without electricity. We're not planning any restrictions on consumers in the winter period," Kudrytskyi said.
It was reported earlier that Ukraine is exporting 210 MW of electricity to Poland, with plans to expand to 250 MW on the existing line; 250 MW to 300 MW (at peak hours) to Romania and Slovakia, and about 200 MW to Moldova.