Ukraine needs to import one million tonnes of coal a month due to the halt in work at a number of mines and the impossibility of supplying mined coal from Donetsk Oblast to the thermal power plants, Ukrainian First Deputy Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Ziukov has told journalists.
“Due to the impossibility of supplying coal that has already been mined, we must import approximately one million tonnes of coal a month,” Ziukov said.
He said this coal is planned to be imported primarily from South Africa, and the option of purchases from the United States is also being considered.
Ziukov said that to do this, the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry must raise around an additional Hr 1.5 billion.
He said that coal reserves at thermal power plants amount to 2.1 million tonnes today, and in order to get through the fall and winter period, 3.5 million tonnes of coal are needed in warehouses.
