REUTERS
Ukrtransgaz has also repaired several compressor stations.
State-run Ukrtransgaz, the operator of Ukraine's gas transport system, has completed scheduled repairs to the main gas pipelines – Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod and Progress – and boosted transit shipments of natural gas from Russia to the European Union by 33% since May 9.
Transit supplies grew from 180-188 million cubic meters (mcm) to 240-243 mcm per day, the company's press service said.
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From May 2 to May 12, the company replaced valves and repaired defective sections of the main gas pipelines, it said. Ukrtransgaz also repaired several compressor stations.
According to the company, the transit dropped from 245 mcm to 181.2 mcm on May 2 (the day when the repairs started), but it increased to 220.8 mcm on May 7 and further to 243.3 mcm on May 10.
"Operators of all countries participating in transit agreed to carry out their scheduled preventive repairs during certain periods. During the first phase [repairs on May 2-12], there was a planned reduction in transit volumes," Ukrtransgaz's press service said.
As UNIAN reported, Ukraine in April 2018 increased transit of natural gas by 3.7% compared to the same period last year, to 7.6 billion cubic meters (bcm).
In 2017, Ukraine handled the record high volumes of gas transit supplies (93 bcm) to the European Union in the past few years.