(Reuters) – Ukraine can now resume exporting electricity after a six-month gap, given the success of repairs carried out after repeated Russian attacks, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said on Friday.
Last October, Ukraine halted exports of electricity to the European Union – its main export market for energy since the war began – following Russia strikes on energy infrastructure.
“The most difficult winter has passed,” Halushchenko said in a statement on the ministry’s website, noting that the system had been working normally for almost two months.
“The next step is to resume electricity exports, which will allow us to attract additional financial resources for the necessary reconstruction of destroyed and damaged electricity infrastructure,” he continued.
Halushchenko – thanking engineers and international partners for the “titanic work” they had done to repair the system – said he had signed an executive document allowing electricity exports to restart, given the surplus of domestic supply.
Ukraine is currently allowed to export a maximum of 400 megawatts at any given moment to the EU.
“Electricity exports will continue to operate provided Ukrainian consumers are supplied with electricity – and may be suspended if the situation changes,” said Halushchenko.
In June 2022, Ukraine had said it was hoping to bring in 1.5 billion euros ($1.64 billion) from electricity exports to the EU by the end of the year.
($1 = 0.9173 euros)
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Diane Craft)
