The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will complete the development of the country`s Energy Strategy by year-end, aiming for energy independence, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said during the meeting of the Regional Development Council, according to the press service of the government.
”Our energy strategy we`re working on and expecting to finish before the end of the year suggests that we consume less energy and do it more efficiently, increasing our own energy output so that the country becomes independent. And we need to ”jump off” that enslaving agreement, signed in 2009,” the press service quoted Groysman as saying.
He recalled that the ”gas contract” resulted in huge losses to Ukraine due to its ”take or pay” principle at a price of $450 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, and now the claim of the Russian Federation to Ukraine over non-fulfillment of these conditions totals $40 billion.
He also recalled that, in addition to increasing its own energy resources, the government`s priority is to launch the Energy Efficiency Fund, which will fully finance the needs for energy-saving technology.
”Today, we must not be an importer, but an exporter of energy resources, and we need to do much more to that end,” Groysman said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers in its draft budget for 2017 plans to finance the growth of the country`s own natural gas production and create the Energy Efficiency Fund worth $3.5-4 billion, which will let Ukraine reach full energy independence withing four to five years.
