Ukraine is doomed to take European gas from the pipeline in winter, - ex-minister
To overcome peak winter temperatures, Ukraine needs approximately 20 million cubic meters of gas per day. Former Ukrainian Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov stated this on the talk show "Savik Shuster's Freedom of Speech," according to a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to Plachkov, there is nowhere to compensate for the deficit, so the authorities have no choice but to take away transit gas, which is intended for European consumers.
“Last year, the maximum gas consumption at sub-zero temperatures was, we are considering daily, 183 million cubic meters of gas. What we have? We have our own production of 50 million, 51, we can pull out about a hundred from storage.
Last year we selected 130, but there were 28 billion in storage. With 18 billion, we won’t take 130 billion from the storage facility, because the storage facilities are not inflated, the less gas there is, the smaller the selection. And we have 50 of our own and, suppose, we take 110 from storage. 160 – where will we get another 20 million daily allowance?
Will we take it away from transit? We will either take it from the pipeline, or we must buy it in Slovakia, we must have contracts, and so on,” Plachkov said.
Ukraine is doomed to siphon European gas from its pipeline this winter, says former minister