Ukrainian households reduce gas consumption by 5.4% in past year

Ukrainian households in 2018 reduced the consumption of natural gas by 5.4% against 2017, to 10.6 billion cubic meters (bcm).

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However, the industry increased gas consumption by 2.2%, to 9.3 bcm, the press service of National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine said.

In 2018, district-level central heating providers boosted gas consumption for household needs by 4.3% to 4.8 bcm, while increasing the amount of gas used for heating of budget-sustained organizations and industry by 10%, to 1.1 bcm.

Meanwhile, technological costs of production, transportation and distribution of gas in 2018 rose by 6.8%, to 4.7 bcm. "The increase in the use of gas in this area is connected primarily with the intensification of gas production by [Ukraine's largest state-owned gas producer] Ukrgazvydobuvannya in 2018," the press service added.

Unauthorized siphoning of gas, nonformalized gas deals, and other losses last year totaled 1.3 bcm, which was 18.2% up from 2017.

In total, Ukraine consumed 32.3 bcm of gas in the past year, which was 1.3% more than in 2017.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine in 2017 consumed 31.9 bcm of natural gas, which was 4% down from 2016.