Ukraine fully ready for upcoming heating season

"Today, Ukraine is technically ready [for the heating season] in full. These are primarily social facilities, residential sector, and most importantly – heat boiler stations," Zubko said.

The local authorities will decide on the launch of heat supplies if the average daily temperature gets below +8 degrees Celsius for three days in a row, he said.

"Today it is important for us that the temperature regime is being monitored, and the heating season does not begin on October 15 [the set date, as it was before]... Heat supplies shall start where the temperature is below +8 degrees Celsius during three days. Moreover, heat shall be provided in premises of social facilities if their temperature is below +16 degrees Celsius," the official said, adding that local authorities are responsible for the start of the heating season on time.

Read alsoUkrenergo: Ukraine's power grids ready for winterAs UNIAN reported, as of early October, Ukraine haв accumulated nearly 16.5 billion cubic meters of gas in the underground storage facilities and 1.2 million tonnes of coal at thermal power plants' warehouses for the 2017-2018 heating season, according to the Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Ministry and the state-owned operator of Ukraine's gas transportation system Ukrtransgaz. Notably, gas reserves at the beginning of the past heating season were estimated at 14.5 billion cubic meters.

Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said on September 6 that Ukraine should smoothly pass the 2017-2018 heating season since the country had accumulated enough natural gas and would provide consumers with heat and electricity.