You're reading: Ukraine reduces gas consumption 10% in ten months of 2012

Ukraine reduced gas consumption 9.7% (by 4.441 billion cubic meters) year-on-year to 41.162 bcm in January-October 2012, the country's Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry told Interfax –Ukraine on Tuesday. 

The ministry said that gas consumption in October decreased by 22.7% (by 1.093 bcm) year-on-year to 3.724 bcm.

Imports of gas to Ukraine decreased by 28.2% (by 10.894 bcm) year-on-year to 27.749 bcm in January-October, including growth of 3.1% (95.2 million cubic meters) to 3.170 bcm.

The decrease in imports in the ten months was due to the purchase by national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy of large amounts of gas at the start of 2011 in fulfilment of a Stockholm Arbitration Court ruling on the return to Switzerland’s RosUkrEnergo of 12.1 bcm. The reduction in Ukraine’s Russian gas imports was connected with its intention to cut such purchases due to the high price.

Transit of gas via Ukraine in the ten months decreased by 19.2% (by 16.339 bcm) year-on-year to 69.196 bcm, including a decrease of 13.1% in October (974.9 mcm) to 6.443 bcm.