The EU project contributed to the reform of the Ukrainian energy market

As the National Commission reported from the settlement in the sphere of energy and public services (NCRECU), the twinning of its support, which lasted two years, came to an end. On February 15, when the project was closed, it was reported that the national regulator from the Slovak Republic (RONI) acted as a twinning partner from the EU. Specialists from Slovakia in every possible way assisted the Ukrainian regulator of the NCRECU to implement the Ukrainian legislation on the example of the Law “On the Market of Energy Services”, which was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the spring of 2017. In the course of the project, there was close cooperation with the European Union Agency for the mutual assistance of regulators in the field of electricity generation (ACER).

According to Johannes Bauer, Lead Counselor, Head of the Projects Department of the “Economic Cooperation, Electricity, Infrastructure and Habitat” Project of the Ukrainian Delegation of the European Union: “Modernization of the Ukrainian electricity market is our main objective. The project was created to assist the regulator from Ukraine in the course of reforming so that Ukrainian colleagues could take advantage of the best developments of the European Union in this field. Since the law on the electricity market was passed with delays, and in the implementation of it in the life of delays, in the draft-twinning unfortunately, the work plan has changed. As a result, the enormous prospects that the project promised were never fully realized. But as well as before this project, we express readiness to work productively with the regulator when reforming the industries related to natural gas, electricity and central heating.

It should be noted that during the project, colleagues from Ukraine and the EU worked together to implement the access to the rest of the parties in the Ukrainian electric power industry. In particular, they discussed access to power grids, improvement of competitive opportunities through expansion of companies in the distribution of electricity, as well as a guarantee by the regulator of the protection of consumer rights. Colleagues from RONI told about their achievements in the control and analysis of the electricity market in their country and in the countries participating in the Visegrad Group. Also, they were given wishes regarding the draft legislation of the second priority.

The head of the KhKKEK, the head of the project from the beneficiary country, D.Bovk, added: “We are very grateful to our colleagues from the Slovak Republic for their help and assistance. The National Commission on Management will take advantage of the foreign experience gained during the modemization of the electricity market, which is only at the beginning of the path of its development. ”

It was noted that projects that have investors from Europe help in uniting state bodies of Ukraine and bodies of the member countries of the European Union and sharing experience and advanced implementations. The considered draft twining in the field of electricity was implemented by NCRECU with the implementation of the experience of Slovak colleagues, as well as the experience of the other EU member countries that are part of the Visegrad group and lasted two years.

This project is part of the idea of ​​the initiative group EU4Energy, which supports Eastern European countries, as well as the countries of the Caucasus region in improving the quality of electricity supply, mutual energy security and promoting the efficiency of the use of electricity and its alternative sources. The initiative includes Ukraine, Belarus, the Republic of Moldova and the Caucasus. The initiative is implemented by investing in projects and programs that promote the reform of national energy markets, as well as reducing consumption and increasing energy independence. If we take into account long-term plans, this will help make electricity supply more reliable, more open and accessible, which will lead to a decrease in the level of energy poverty and the cost of payment for both individual citizens and the private sector.