You're reading: Ukraine technically ready to accept up to 5 bcm of gas from Europe

The Ukrainian gas transport system is ready to accept up to 5 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from Europe, Deputy Chief Engineer at Ukrtransgaz, a subsidiary of Naftogaz Ukrainy, Oleh Mykhalevych said at an international forum held in Kyiv on Thursday. 

He said that the company has conducted the required measures to accept gas from Europe by the Ukrainian gas transport system in reverse mode.

“We’ve conducted measures which will allow us to accept around 5 bcm of gas,” he said.

Mykhalevych also said that the reserve gas supplies to Ukraine could be increased to 20 bcm per year without additional capital investment.

As reported, Ukraine is mulling the possibility of using its gas transport system in reverse mode in connection with plans and statements of Gazprom to considerably reduce transit of Russian gas to Europe via the Ukrainian gas transport system.

In the middle of March 2012, Naftogaz Ukrainy Head Yevhen Bakulin said that talks on the purchase of natural gas in Europe worth up to 10 bcm are underway.

Ukrainian Premier Mykola Azarov said that if talks on the reduction of the price of gas with Russia fail, Ukraine could buy Russian gas from Germany’s RWE.