ENTSO-E to raise export limit of Ukrainian electricity to 550 MW as of March 1 - Ukrenergo

MOSCOW. Feb 27 (Interfax) - ENTSO-E, continental Europe's network of system operators, has approved boosting the limit of Ukrainian electricity supplies to European countries by over a third to 550 MW, Ukrainian media reported, citing NPC Ukrenergo CEO Vladimir Kudritsky's statement posted on social media on Monday.

"The maximum limit for exporting Ukrainian electricity from Ukraine and Moldova to the EU countries is increasing to 550 MW per hour as of March 1. The energy system operators of ENTSO-E took the decision today [February 26] to raise the export capacity of interstate interconnectors by 150 MW. The capacity is equal to the operation of an additional unit at the thermal power plant," Kudritsky said.

Kudritsky said that Ukraine is currently selling electricity to all neighboring countries, including Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Moldova, and export volumes have been rising gradually since mid-February, while imports have been declining.

"Trade with other countries with a growing share of exports is a consequence of the fact that the energy system is still operating stably and is part of the large European continental network, despite the disruptions, regulatory deficiencies, and debt problems in the market. Opportunities for this are being created, namely access to interstate interconnectors is sold at general auctions under the same rules for all of Europe," Kudritsky said.

Kudritsky also said that growth in Ukrainian electricity exports is an indicator of the country's economic recovery.

ENTSO-E on June 7, 2022, took the decision on gradual expansion of opportunities for exports/imports of electricity, with commercial exchanges of electricity beginning on June 30, 2022. ENTSO-E is gradually boosting the technical capacity to import electricity into the Ukraine/Moldova bloc, and the permitted capacity is 1,700 MW as of December 1, 2023. The technical capacity for exports from Ukraine and Moldova to Europe was previously limited to 400 MW.