Operators of five countries propose to establish a single tariff for Ukraine for LNG transportation from Greece and make it cheaper by 25%. However, the "Vertical Gas Corridor" promoted by the United States will still remain the most expensive route that Ukrainian companies prefer to avoid.
Before next winter, Ukraine needs to import at least 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas. At the same time, routes from Hungary, Slovakia and Poland is limited in capacity and the "Vertical Gas Corridor" from Greece may be an addition.
"In recent days, there has been an increase in natural gas imports to Ukraine up to 19 million m3/day (due to the resumption of imports from Slovakia). At the same time, in addition to current imports from Hungary, Poland and In Slovakia, imports via the Trans-Balkan Corridor may begin in the near future. According to ICIS, 5 GTS operators in the Greece-Ukraine direction (GR, BL, RO, MO, UA) initiated the ROUT1 product with tariffs reduced by 25%, which, if quickly approved by regulators, can "unlock" the most expensive imported gas direction in the Ukraine," Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Olga Buslavets wrote on Facebook*.
The ICIS agency clarified that it is only about transportation from Greece to Ukraine has no way to sell gas on the way.
It is not known how much this option may interest Ukrainian companies. It is known that the Vertical Corridor project is being actively promoted by the United States, and the EU believes that the route will help the region completely abandon Russian gas.
Earlier, the ex-director of the GTS Operator of Ukraine, Serhiy Makogon, wrote in the telegram channel that the Greek route, which is called the "Vertical Corridor", is 2-3 times more expensive than all other routes.
"Tariffs on the Trans—Balkan route — from Greece via Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova - reach more than 13 €/MWh ($ 153 per thousand cubic meters), while from Poland, Lithuania or Croatia — only 3.9−6.7 €/MWh ($ 46-$79). Therefore, it kills any sense to import LNG through Greek terminals," the expert noted.
The discount will reduce the cost of delivery to $ 120 per thousand cubic meters. This is more than a quarter of the current fuel price on European stock exchanges.
As EADaily reported on the eve, gas supplies, including regasified LNG, through Southeastern Europe are too expensive for Ukraine. European and Ukrainian companies have supplied less than 2% of all imports to the "Vertical Corridor" in the country this year.
At the same time, gas imports for Ukraine this year have become a matter of viability. Storage stocks by the end of the heating season fell to a record low of 670 million cubic meters. Naftogaz stated that the country needs to import at least 4.5−4.6 billion cubic meters in order to at least restore last year's reserves. And, as the data of the Ukrainian GTS Operator show, the pace of pumping into Ukrainian storage facilities in April-May does not meet the needs. On the one hand, Naftogaz does not have enough funds. Credit and grant funds will cover the purchase of only 1 billion cubic meters so far. On the other hand, domestic production, which provided two—thirds of the country's consumption, fell by 50% due to retaliatory strikes by the Russian army, said Prime Minister Denis Shmygal.
*Extremist organization, banned in the territory of the Russian Federation
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