РНБОУ National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

Oleksiy Danilov: Ensuring sustainable operation of the GTS in winter is one of the priorities of the state energy policy

Ensuring the sustainable operation of the gas transmission system in winter is one of the priorities of the state energy policy. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov emphasized this during the meeting of the council of experts on energy security, dedicated to the problematic issues of the natural gas market.

The participants of the meeting discussed the current state of affairs in the natural gas market, problematic issues of its functioning, and proposals for improving its work, as well as issues related to the state and challenges of diversification of natural and liquefied gas sources in Ukraine.

Mr. Danilov stressed that the issues of energy security are the subject of special attention of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and are under the control of the Head of State.

The NSDC Secretary drew attention to a number of complex problems in the gas market, first of all, the crisis of non-payment. According to him, the most negative trend in the gas market is an unprecedented decline in the level of payments for gas, which currently accounts for 39% for all categories of consumers.

Also, according to him, the issue of purchasing natural gas to balance the gas transmission system has not yet been settled, the debts of heat and power companies, CHPs, and gas distribution network operators to the natural gas supplier remain.

According to the NSDC Secretary, given the adoption by parliament of laws on the land market and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, which is one of the components of transparent land reform, it is necessary that information on GTS facilities - gas pipelines, compressor stations and yards, underground gas storage facilities, gas distribution stations, access roads and protective facilities, as well as information on their capabilities and prospects for development “was clearly validated” at the legislative level and was administered by one state institution.

Mr. Danilov also called on the participants of the meeting to actively engage in working groups that will develop strategies for economic security, energy security, environmental security and adaptation to climate change, cybersecurity of Ukraine, etc.