Ukraine boosts gas imports by almost 60% in Jan-April

Ukraine in January-April 2020 boosted natural gas imports by 59%, to 3.9 billion cubic meters (bcm) year-over-year (y-o-y).

Over the period under review, Ukraine imported gas from the European Union countries alone, LLC Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) said on May 5.

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In particular, 2.4 bcm of gas was imported via the Slovak gas transport corridor, while 600 million cubic meters (mcm) and 900 mcm arrived from Poland and Hungary, respectively.

It is noted that the imports from Poland also include 380 mln of gas supplied via a virtual reverse flow, which first became available early this year.

In April alone, Ukraine purchased 1.3 bcm of gas, which was almost 25% up y-o-y.

"The increase in gas supplies from EU countries is explained by growing demand for a new short-haul service, which the Ukrainian GTS launched at the beginning of 2020. In April, Ukraine received 264 mcm of gas in the short-haul mode (shipments from Hungary accounted for 64%, from Poland for 21%, and from Slovakia for 15%). Noteworthy, traders delivered the said volumes of gas for storage in Ukrainian underground storage facilities [USFs] in the 'customs warehouse' mode," the report said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine in 2019 boosted natural gas imports by 34.4%, or by 3.65 bcm, up to 14.25 bcm.

The country in 2018 reduced natural gas imports by 24.6% from 2017, to 10.59 bcm.

In late November 2015, Ukraine stopped purchasing natural gas from Russia's Gazprom.