Ukrainian underground storage facilities contain 12.4 bcm of gas - Naftogaz

MOSCOW. Aug 3 (Interfax) - Ukrainian underground storage facilities contained 12.4 billion cubic meters of gas as of August 2, Ukrainian media quoted Alexei Chernyshov, the Naftogaz CEO, as saying during a meeting of the working group for monitoring the fulfillment of the Law on the Natural Gas Market.

He said the gas stocks should rise to 13.8 bcm by September 1.

A total of 1.358 bcm was stored in July 2023, compared with 1.065 bcm in July 2022.

Chernyshov drew attention to an increase in gas consumption in July by almost 50% or 252 million cubic meters compared to July last year, to 803 mcm, due mainly to the increased use of gas by thermal power plants.

Thermal power plants consumed 0.7 bcm of gas to generate electricity within the special public obligations framework of in January-April this year and about 0.5 bcm in May-July. Anticipated consumption for these purposes in August-December is 1.2 bcm.

Chernyshov also said Naftogaz had bought 0.7 bcm of gas from privately owned producers on the Ukrainian Energy Exchange since the end of April.

Ukraine has 12 underground storage facilities with overall capacity of around 31 billion cubic meters. The country plans to begin the 2023-2024 heating season with inventory of 14.7 bcm of gas.