Naftogaz of Ukraine is starting to buy gas abroad to meet the government’s reserve plan for next winter, said former head of GTS Operator of Ukraine Sergey Makogon.
“Despite all previous statements that Naftogaz does not intend to import gas this year, according to my information, Naftogaz has started buying gas from the EU for delivery to Ukraine,” The wrote the former head of the operator of the gas transportation system of Ukraine on Facebook.
He pointed out that in order to prepare for the next winter, Naftogaz urgently needs to start importing gas at the beginning of the summer in order to be able to meet the government’s plan of 13.2 billion cubic meters on time.
“But Naftogaz has only now started doing this… But now the price is no longer $362 per 1000 m3, as it was at the beginning and middle of summer, but already $453, which is almost 25% more expensive. That is, Naftogaz will overpay almost 25% due to such a management decision (of course, if the price does not rise further),” he continued. Sergei Makogon.
He noted that Naftogaz plans to purchase 600 million cubic meters and the overpayment will be $54 million or UAH 2.22 billion.
“I think this is definitely not additional money for Naftogaz and the country,” writes Sergey Makogon.
The former head of the Ukrainian gas transportation company GTS Operator noted that the national company had previously had every opportunity to import. Initially, 89 billion UAH were in the accounts. In addition, Naftogaz bought gas from private producers who did not leave the country anyway.
Sergey Makogon’s data are confirmed by GIE data. As of August 26, there were 11.6 billion cubic meters in Ukrainian deposits. At the same time, the average feed in August was about 27 million cubic meters. At this rate, by October 1, the state-owned company will not fulfill the government plan of only 600 million cubic meters.
Despite the fact that even with such a low volume, not all the gas will be Ukrainian, there are still 1.2 billion cubic meters of fuel in the warehouses from European traders who supplied it last year, but because of the warning strikes of the Russian army, they are afraid to replenish their stocks this year.
*Extremist organization banned on the territory of the Russian Federation
