LIGHT AND HEAT FOR THE COUNTRY

摘要

The article examines situation and outlooks for fuel and power sector; which is among cornerstones of the Ukrainian economy. The author provides the structure of the Ukrainian fuel and energy sector and gives description for each component of the sector. In 2002, the volume of electric energy production in Ukraine made 172,835 mn kWh, around 3,719.8 ths. tons of oil with condensed gas were extracted along with 18,442.9 mn cu. m. of gas and 81,851.6 ths tons of coal. Fuel and energy sector of Ukraine comprises Europe's largest gas transportation system for natural gas delivery from Siberia and Middle Asia to European countries. To keep up with upgrade and effective performance of the system, Ukraine and Russia established the International gas transportation consortium in 2002. The country's power sector requires restructuring and upgrade, and at the same time, this industry of Ukraine is quite competitive. Several new projects within its frames are likely to raise joint interest of Ukraine and countries of the European Union. These are extraction of coal bed methane in coal production, upgrade of energy-generating facilities and recovery of small hydroelectrical plants, gas and oil production upon the shelf of Black and Azov seas, etc.