Ukraine doubles coal imports, over half comes from Russia

The major supplier of coal over the period under review was Russia, accounting for 55.7% of total supplies worth $1.2 billion, it said.

It is followed by the United States (25%, $546.8 million) and Australia (5.4%, $116.4 million). Coal imports from other countries were estimated at $289.8 million.

Read alsoUkraine's energy ministry mulling over creation of National Coal Company in NovThe country's coal exports to Russia in the 10 months amounted to $48.7 million, Slovakia ($33 million), Turkey ($2.6 million), and other countries ($3.9 million), it said.

As UNIAN reported, Ukraine started facing an acute shortage of coal since the summer of 2014 as a result of hostilities in the east of the country. It completely lost control over some areas in Donbas with coal mines. After that, the country began to import coal.

In 2016, Ukraine reduced spending on coal imports by 10% from 2015, to $1.467 billion.

This year, the two largest power generation companies that consume thermal coal have contracted anthracite from South Africa (DTEK) and the United States (Centrenergo).