The reduction of the price of gas to UAH 6,99 per cubic meter will take place only in February, accordingly, Ukrainians will receive payments with this price already in March.
This was reported by acting Minister of Energy Yury Vytrenko v interview with Economic Truth.
"Reduced payments for February will arrive only in March. By the way, if we had not done anything, then for February in March, Ukrainians would have received even more payments, about a quarter," Vytrenko noted.
He explained that there is no legal mechanism to reduce retroactive payments in order to reduce gas prices already in the current month. At the same time, according to him, objectively the price of gas could be UAH 6,99 per cubic meter already in January.
"Naftogaz" and many other players bought a large volume of gas and pumped it in the summer at a much lower price than 6,99 hryvnias per cubic meter. It is obvious that for many companies, selling gas at 6,99 is not selling at a loss," explained the acting CEO. the minister
Vytrenko also added that Ukrgazvydobuvannya produces gas at a much lower cost price than UAH 6,99 per cubic meter. As for independent distributors, the situation, according to him, depends on how commercially competent their behavior was during the year.
"It depends on whether they were commercially astute enough to buy gas in the summer when it was much cheaper. If they bought gas for 3 hryvnias, now they can comfortably sell it for 6,99 hryvnias at a profit," Vytrenko emphasized.
