REUTERS
The available stocks of coal in warehouses and thermal power plants in Ukraine are enough for a month of stable work of power facilities, but in future the issue of supply of coal will require new solutions, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said during the parliament's hour of questions to the government on Friday.
"We have a limited supply of coal from the uncontrolled territories and the Russian Federation. As of today, the available stocks of coal in our warehouses and thermal power plants are enough for at least a month of stable work. But we'll have questions in the longer term," Demchyshyn said.
At the same time, he said that Ukraine would expect supplies of another 250,000 tonnes of coal from South Africa in December.
He emphasized that the government was negotiating with suppliers from South Africa.
Read alsoRussia halts coal supply to Ukraine: media"Two ships are now delivering 168,000 tonnes for the state-run public joint-stock company Centrenergo and 80,000 tonnes for the thermal power plants. The first ship will arrive on December 4, and the second ship will arrive on December 12. Thus, in December we will get about 250,000 tonnes of anthracite coal, which is not produced at the government-controlled territories," the minister said.
"There is about one million tonnes of such coal in our warehouses, but these 250,000 tonnes will give us confidence that our energy system will be in a stable energy process within the next 45-50 days. In 50 days, it is possible to find a solution for the supply of coal from South Africa and from other suppliers," Demchyshyn said.