REUTERS
Stocks of anthracite coal at Ukrainian thermal power plants (TPP) shrank by 4.8% on February 12-19, 2017, to 802,000 tonnes, according to the state-owned operator of Ukraine's united power grids Ukrenergo.
However, stocks of gas coal increased by 2.3%, to 704,000 tonnes from 688,000 tonnes.
In general, coal stocks at TPPs fell by 1.6% over the week, to 1.506 million tonnes.
Read alsoG7: Blockade of coal supplies from occupied Donbas threatens Ukraine's energy securityStocks of boiler oil used as reserve fuel shrank by 2%, to 37,700 tonnes, the report said.
UNIAN memo. Fighting in the eastern regions of Ukraine has caused a significant shortage of coal, primarily that of thermal anthracite produced in militant-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Thus, the deficit of coal affects the operation of power plants, which have to reduce their capacity. In order to provide the smooth operation of the power grids, anthracite was imported from South Africa.
However, the issue of coal shipments to thermal power plants critically arose after the launch of a blockade of trade with the occupied areas in late January 2017.