Energy Community praises law on coupling of energy markets of Ukraine, EU

The relevant statement was made by Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski in an interview with Ukrinform.

“[…] What we are currently offering for the electricity market is accelerated integration with the EU. It’s no longer just about how the system in Ukraine will be organized or how the market will function independently; rather, it’s about fully integrating Ukraine’s market with that of the EU. This represents the next step forward. The law that has been registered is a positive development, and we fully support it. We believe that by adopting this law, Ukraine can complete the transposition process related to the electricity integration package,” Lorkowski said.

In his words, through the Energy Community, the EU offers Ukraine what could be described as accelerated integration into the EU’s electricity market, the day-ahead and the intraday electricity market, with Ukraine being treated similarly to a member state.

“The next steps depend on continued progress within Ukraine, and relevant legislation has already been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. This legislation, which was registered in early October, is currently our main priority as we work toward achieving full integration with the EU energy market,” Lorkowski noted.

Meanwhile, according to him, progress in Ukraine’s gas market reform is not as significant due to the wartime challenges.

“The situation is somewhat different in the gas market. Currently, the market is not functioning as it did before the war; in fact, it has been largely suspended. Consequently, the progress in gas market reforms is not comparable to that of the electricity market, which has seen much more advancement,” Lorkowski explained.

Currently, the Energy Community is discussing recommendations on gas market reform with Ukraine, taking into account the country’s biogas export potential.

“We are currently discussing these recommendations with Ukraine. On one hand, they take into account the ongoing war situation, and on the other hand, they consider Ukraine’s aspiration to join the European Union. Additionally, we are looking at opportunities for Ukraine to export biogas, which reflects an interest expressed by the Ukrainian side. Our goal is to find a pathway that aligns Ukraine gradually with EU and Energy Community legislation while also creating space for investors who want to enter the gas market in Ukraine, including the biogas sector,” Lorkowski concluded.

A reminder that, on October 3, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine registered draft bill No. 12087 ‘On Amendments to the Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Coupling of the Electricity Markets of Ukraine and the European Union’.