REUTERS
Actions of the authorities must be prompt, effective and concerted.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said the Cabinet of Ministers' current key task is to balance the energy market and ensure its stability.
"We must preserve jobs, especially in the coal and nuclear industries. That is why it is critical to develop synergy in this issue. And the balance we have today gives us an understanding of where, what role and whose responsibility, as well as what capacities can be involved. And what we need to agree on with companies that own renewable energy sources," the Cabinet's press service quoted Shmyhal as saying at the first meeting of the Anti-Crisis Energy Headquarters on April 29.
According to the official, the current energy crisis is urging that the actions of the authorities be prompt, effective, and concerted.
"We are interested in having a ready action plan. Yesterday at a meeting with the President, we spoke about the energy balance of Ukraine having already been signed today. It has been adjusted. We have worked together with key businesses in the industry," he said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, at an April 22 Cabinet meeting, Shmyhal said that the energy sector was facing a crisis and instructed that the Cabinet of Ministers together with lawmakers from the profile committee of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, develop an action plan for each branch of the industry.
In early April, the state-run enterprise Energoatom, the operator of Ukrainian-based nuclear power plants, declared a critical situation in the energy market caused by the debt estimated at UAH 5 billion (US$185.4 million) of the state-owned company Guaranteed Buyer for electricity supplied by Energoatom.
On April 20, DTEK Energo suspended the operation of DTEK Pavlohradvuhillia, three coal processing plants: Pavlogradska, Dobropilske, Kurahivska, as well as Pershotravensk Mechanical Plant, and DTEK Scientific and Production Center.
On April 24, the Cabinet of Ministers at its extraordinary meeting set up an Anti-Crisis Energy Headquarters, headed by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.