REUTERS

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov insists on the balanced operation of the country's electricity market.

"Danilov stressed the need to take urgent decisions to balance the operation of the electricity market, prevent manipulation over it, and protect citizens' interests," the NSDC's press service reported, following an ad hoc group meeting energy sector problems.

The participants of the meeting discussed the problematic issues of the functioning of the electricity market, measures to balance its work and prevent emergencies and critical situations.

Видео дня

Based on the results of the meeting, it was decided to summarize the proposals and within three days submit to the NSDC secretary a plan of specific measures to overcome problematic issues on the electricity market for further reporting to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Read alsoCrisis in energy sector: Ukrainian TPPs generate more energy than NPPs in spring, first time on record

The meeting was attended by Acting Minister of Energy and Environmental Policy, Olha Buslavets, Chairman of the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities Valeriy Tarasyuk, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Reform Council Oleksandr Olshansky, National Nuclear Energy Generating Company (NNEGC) Energoatom's Acting Director Petro Kotin, Director of Market Operations of NPC Ukrenergo Mykyta Vyshnevskyi, Director of state-owned Energorynok (Energy Market) Yuriy Hnatiuk, Director of state-owned Market Operator Volodymyr Yevdokymov, Director for Management of the IPS of Ukraine – Chief Dispatcher of NPC Ukrenergo Vitalii Zaichenko, energy expert Ivan Plachkov, and Ukrainian lawmakers.

As UNIAN reported earlier, at an April 22 Cabinet meeting, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the energy sector was facing a crisis and instructed that the government together with lawmakers from the parliament's energy committee to develop an action plan for each branch of the sector.

In early April, the state-run enterprise Energoatom, the operator of Ukrainian-based nuclear power plants, declared a critical situation on the energy market caused by the debt estimated at UAH 5 billion (US$186.4 million) owed by the state-owned company Guaranteed Buyer for electricity supplied by Energoatom.

At its special meeting on April 24, the Cabinet set up an Anti-Crisis Energy Headquarters, headed by PM Shmyhal.

Ukraine's Acting Minister of Energy and Environmental Policy Olha Buslavets said the electricity market had fallen short of UAH 51 billion (US$1.9 billion).

According to her, the Ukrainian energy industry is completely unbalanced in mutual settlements and the state debt on payments for electricity generated from renewable sources may reach UAH 26 billion (US$969.4 million) by late 2020.

Up to 20% of the renewable energy market belongs to the DTEK energy holding owned by Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov.