Ukraine's thermal power companies and combined power and heat plants held 1.4 million tonnes of thermal coal as of August 4, while the country needs to have a total of 1.8 million tonnes of coal before the heating season starts, local media reported, citing Yury Vlasenko, first deputy energy minister.
An accumulative 1.4 million tonnes of coal were stocked at the country's thermal power plants and combined power and heat utilities, 100,000 tonnes lower than their endorsed schedule of 1.5 million tonnes, he said.
This gap was ascribed to the fact that the thermal power sector used extra amounts of coal in July to make up for the power shortfall.
Vlasenko mentioned that in an effort to spare coal and more expensive natural gas, collaboration with thermal power plants, power and heat plants has been underway with the use of fuel oil and hope of eventually achieving the required amount of coal.
He also stated that electricity generation firms, including Centrenergo, a state-owned company, have initiated the buying of fuel oil. Two of their thermal power plants have been operating with it, one using it exclusively and the other burning 60% of fuel oil and 40% of natural gas.
Coal production at state-run coal mines decreased by 148,000 tonnes or 10-15% in comparison to the same period last year, he added.
(Writing by Riley Liang Editing by Emma Yang)
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