REUTERS
Ukraine started replenishing gas stockpiles in its underground gas storage facilities (USFs) on April 7 after the end of the heating season, according to Ukrtransgaz, the operator of the country's gas transportation system.
"The current season of natural gas replenishing [in USFs] started on April 7 against the backdrop of the highest level of gas stockpiles in the last five years," Ukrtransgaz reported.
In the period between April 7 and April 10 inclusive, 30 million cubic meters (mcm) of natural gas was pumped into USFs.
As of the current date, pumping of natural gas into USFs is carried out at a daily level of 20.5 mcm, which is four times more as compared to gas volumes pumped into USFs in the previous days.
Read alsoNaftogaz looking for money to buy gas for next winterAccording to Ukrtransgaz, total gas stockpiles in Ukrainian USFs amount to 8.46 billion cubic meters (bcm), which is higher by 11% as compared to last year.
According to Ukrainian Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn, Ukraine plans to buy about 11-13 bcm of gas in 2016, and the required volumes can be provided by the European suppliers.
Read alsoNaftogaz CEO: Nord Stream-2 Russia’s "Trojan Horse" for EUIn January 2016, Demchyshyn stated that the price of gas for Ukraine on the European markets had been reduced to $190 per 1,000 cubic meters, which was lower than the price offered by Russia's energy giant Gazprom.