By KYIV. May 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – European traders have begun booking the capacities of Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities (UGS) for the third quarter of 2023, Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine LLC (GTSOU) reported referring to the company’s CEO Dmytro Lyppa on Monday.
“The interest of European traders in the Ukrainian gas infrastructure is growing, given the record seasonal spread. The service customers have already started booking guaranteed capacities for the third quarter of 2023,” he said.
According to Lyppa, GTSOU, together with JSC Ukrtransgaz, can offer monthly guaranteed capacities, which will be distributed at future auctions, and later, if technically possible, variable capacities at short-haul tariffs.
“Both guaranteed and variable capacities can be used in combination with the customs warehouse service of the UGS operator. Thus, Ukrainian storage facilities and GTS can contribute to the integration of our gas markets and strengthen the region’s energy security,” the head of GTSOU added.
GTSOU said that at present, gas contracts in the EU for January-February 2024 are traded at a price of about EUR 60 per MWh.
“That is, now market participants have an opportunity of purchasing gas at a commercially attractive price for its sale in the first quarter of 2024, but there is no way to ensure its storage. The solution to the problem is proposed by GTSOU together with Ukrtransgaz, which is storing gas in Ukrainian storage facilities,” the company said.
