Ukraine transfers six thermal power plants from gas to coal 2012-08-31

Ukraine transfers six thermal power plants from gas to coal

Ukraine has completed converting thermal power plants to allow them to use coal instead of natural gas for power and heat production, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Wednesday.

"Ahead of the autumn-winter period powerful units were transferred from gas to coal," Azarov said in remarks released by the government.

Ukraine as well completed a feasibility study on the transfer of another thermal power plants to coal from natural gas, Azarov said.

Ukraine has been seeking to reduce dependence on imports of Russian gas after the nations had failed to make evolution over the past years in talks over lowering gas prices.

The government before this year decided to reduce the Russian gas imports to 27 billion cubic meters in 2012 from about 40 billion cu m in 2011.

A key step in the government's strategy is converting dozens of fossil fuel-burning power plants to make them able to use domestic coal rather imported natural gas for power and heat production.

"Advanced technologies for coal use in thermal power and industry open up quite new prospects for the industry," Azarov said.

Ukraine's natural gas consumption fell 7.3% year-on-year, or by 2.6 billion cu m, to 32.96 billion cu m in the first months of 2012, down from 35.56 billion cu m in January-July 2011.

At the same time, consumption of coal rose 5.7% to 34.99 million mt from 33.09 million mt in January-July 2011.

Ukraine's thermal power plants increased coal consumption by 4.4% year-on-year to 18.91 million mt in January-July from 18.11 million mt a year ago, according to the energy and coal industry ministry.