In Ukraine, there is an urgent need to liberalize the gas market to attract both Ukrainian and European traders and industrial consumers for imports. Otherwise, the gas deficit and lack of funds could lead to a failure in preparations for the upcoming heating season. This opinion was expressed by the director of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, Volodymyr Omelchenko.
This is reported by Finway
“In order to timely fill the underground gas storage facilities, it is necessary to import gas at the level of 25 million cubic meters per day throughout the entire injection season. This will require about €2 billion. ‘Naftogaz of Ukraine’ will not be able to attract such an amount on its own,” he noted.
Omelchenko also emphasized that the current market model, in which Naftogaz fulfills special obligations (PSO) and sells resources at reduced prices to the population and commercial entities, has exhausted itself. This leads to a situation where Naftogaz is forced to import gas for household consumption at the expense of its own losses. The expert believes that the only way out of the situation is to attract new participants to imports. For this, it is necessary to liberalize the gas market.
Additionally, he suggested revising approaches to the use of state-produced resources to maintain prices for the population at the current level.