Ukraine exports electricity to the European Union
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the transmission of electricity to Romania is the beginning of a process that can help Europe reduce its dependence on Russian hydrocarbons.
Zelensky said this in a nightly video message after the announcement by Prime Minister Denys Shmuhal that the export started earlier in the day, in the amount of 100 megawatts, four months after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"The start of exports is another significant step in our movement towards the European Union", said Zelenski.
He added that "thanks to Ukrainian electricity, a significant part of the Russian gas used by European consumers can be replaced".
"Therefore, this is not only a question of earning from exports for us, but a question of security for the whole of Europe", said Zelensky, recalling the connection of Ukraine with the common energy system of the EU.
In mid-March, Ukraine reached an agreement to join the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) as an observer, once its grid is connected to the EU grid.
ENTSO-E announced this week that preparations have been completed for the first export from Ukraine, together with electricity from Moldova, starting on June 30, using an interconnection with Romania.
Electricity trading on other interconnections between Ukraine and Slovakia, Ukraine and Hungary, as well as between Moldova and Romania will soon follow. In the first phase, the capacity to be traded will be set at 100 megawatts.
In a previous announcement, Prime Minister Shmyhal said that Ukraine's export potential to Europe will reach 2,5 gigawatts.