Ukrhydroenergo head considers it expedient to open electricity exports to Europe due to its current surplus

The expediency of opening electricity exports to Europe in connection with its current and forecasted surplus for the coming months is obvious, but the issue is quite politicized, Director General of PJSC Ukrhydroenergo Ihor Syrota has said.

"There has been a round-the-clock surplus in the power system of Ukraine for three weeks already… And when there is a surplus, you need to sell it and earn money on it. Why don't we conditionally earn those several tens of million hryvnias that can be given away, for example, for PSO? Do not ask, do not seek, but earn?" he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"If you notice, we are now illuminating the streets as much as possible and shining where it is necessary and is not necessary because there is a surplus, there is an imbalance," the head of the generating company said, adding that with warming and an increase in daylight hours, consumption will continue to fall.

At the same time, he said that "the chances of unblocking exports are now more real."

At the same time, the head of Ukrhydroenergo considers the issue politicized, in particular, due to the fact that a number of Ukrainian consumers are not provided with electricity.

At the same time, he explained that these consumers do not have electricity precisely because of the limitations in the networks damaged by Russian strikes and not because of a shortage of capacities.

"Electricity simply cannot physically be delivered there in the required volumes yet. But there are a lot of manipulations on the topic of exports. If we could get rid of them, if bloggers and media sincerely and truthfully explained to people the real state of things, it would be very good. I must tell people: There is now a surplus of electricity, it can be sold, earn on it and restore the power system," Syrota said.

He said that in the event of a shortage, if electricity is not enough for domestic needs, Ukraine would simply limit the cross section for exports.

"We would talk on such terms with those countries where we export. We export as long as there is a surplus, and suddenly something happens – we stop. It is regulation, and no one will allow themselves to speculate on this during the war. We are not saying that we have opened exports and sell under long-term contracts," the head of the generating company said, explaining the position.

Syrota told Interfax-Ukraine that Ukhydroenergo and National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom, the main executors of public service obligations to support tariffs for households (PSO), cannot simultaneously bear the load within this PSO and restore their facilities after destruction.

According to him, even without bearing in mind the UAH 16.7 billion in losses caused by the invaders at the captured Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, Ukhydroenergo's losses from Russian military aggression in the territory controlled by Ukraine exceed UAH 22 billion.

Syrota explained that these are the funds the company needs today to restore its damaged or destroyed facilities. At the same time, the company can pay this amount of funds for a year on PSO.

At the same time, the head of Ukrhydroenergo said that it is very important to find funds for restoring electric power facilities since the stability of the power system in the next autumn-winter period will depend on this.

"The energy industry survived this time because it had a solid foundation, but this year it has been quite disturbed. We are working but these are temporary solutions, you can't enter the winter hearing period with them because it is a weak position," he warned.

The Ministry of Energy stopped electricity exports to Europe on October 11 after the first heavy attacks by Russian aggressors on Ukraine's power system.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua