Coal reserves at TPPs on decline, now 50% below norm

The warehouses of Ukrainian thermal power plants (TPPs), as of January 28, store some 578,700 tonnes of coal, which is 525,800 tonnes below the required norm.

That's according to LIGA.net citing data of the energy ministry.

The report says last week, the stocks of anthracite (not mined in government-controlled territories of Ukraine) totaled 244,700 tonnes, while G-grade coal (gas coal), extracted in Ukraine, amounted to 344,100 tonnes.

Read alsoUkraine cuts spending in foreign currency on coal imports by 40%At the same time, the norm implies at least 294,000 tonnes of anthracite and 809,700 tonnes of gas coal to be stored at TPPs as of January 28.

According to the State Statistics Service, a year ago, as of February 1, 2020, there was 4.3 million tonnes of coal at Ukrainian thermal power plants.

On January 12 this year, there was 621,800 tonnes of coal stocked at Ukrainian thermal power plants. This was 324,000 tonnes below the norm. According to the Ukrenergo operator, the situation with coal reserves remains critical.

On January 15, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has assured the public that there would be no rolling blackouts across the country despite coal shortage at TPPs and CHPPs.

On January 16, the Ukrainian GTS Operator said it was ready to compensate for the coal deficit at TPPs and combined heat and power plants thorughout the low-temperature period by supplying additional volumes of gas.

January supplies of electricity from Belarus have stabilized the Ukrainian energy grid, which is reported to still be in a critical condition due to the drastic shortage of coal at TPP warehouses.