LLC Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine and the Polish gas transmission system operator Gaz-System have agreed to introduce guaranteed capacities for the import of natural gas from Poland to Ukraine at a volume of approximately 5.15 million cubic meters per day.
The updated capacity will be available from January 1 to September 30, 2025, reports the press service of the Gas Transmission System Operator.
It will first be possible to reserve this capacity through a monthly auction scheduled for December 16.
Transportation service customers will also have the opportunity to access this capacity through quarterly, monthly, daily, and intraday auctions in accordance with the ENTSO-G calendar, the company's press service clarified.
"Our months-long cooperation with our Polish partner Gaz-System has allowed us to ensure increased guaranteed capacities for transporting gas from Poland to Ukraine. This enhances Ukraine's gas supply security and increases opportunities for customers to transport and store gas here. We will continue to work to ensure our clients can rely on these capacities on an ongoing basis," commented Dmitro Lippa, CEO of the Gas Transmission System Operator.
He added that over the past year, guaranteed capacities were introduced with all neighboring countries, providing access to natural gas from many sources, thereby ensuring additional supply security for Ukraine.
In particular, earlier, the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine received confirmation of guaranteed gas supplies from Slovakia at a volume of 42 million cubic meters per day until the end of winter 2026.
As reported, it now appears that the halt of Russian gas transit through Ukraine from January 1 is becoming a reality, said Roman Andarak, Deputy Minister of Energy.
Ukrainian government representatives have repeatedly stated that Ukraine does not intend to extend the contract for the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe after 2024. However, the Ukrainian government has considered other possible agreements regarding this issue.
It should be noted that the agreement between Naftogaz of Ukraine and Gazprom on organizing transportation, the transportation agreement between Naftogaz and the Gas Transmission System Operator, as well as the inter-operator agreement between the Gas Transmission System Operator and Gazprom, was signed on December 30, 2019. The contract provided for the transit of 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year from 2021 to 2024, but this condition has not been met.
In 2023, the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine's gas transmission system decreased by 28.4% (by 5.81 billion cubic meters) compared to 2022, reaching 14.65 billion cubic meters.
