Ukraine Cannot Guarantee Reliable Gas Transit to Europe, Gazprom CEO Says

Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller said Wednesday that the poor condition of Ukraine's gas transportation system (GTS) prompts the company to look for additional routes for gas deliveries to the European Union.

 The condition of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS) can not guarantee reliable natural gas supplies to EU consumers in the medium and long term, and Ukraine's recognition of possible problems with gas transit confirms the need for additional routes for reliable gas deliveries to Europe, Miller told reporters.

"The state of the Ukrainian gas transportation system is such that no one can guarantee a reliable gas supply to European consumers along the Ukrainian corridor in the medium and long term," Miller said, adding that the Ukrainian Energy Ministry have officially recognized potential problems with gas transit due to the lack of investment in the Ukrainian GTS.

Earlier, Minister for Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Ihor Nasalyk said that the operator of the Ukrainian gas transportation system, Ukrtransgaz, may not be technically ready to ensure reliable gas transit because of Naftogaz's reluctance to invest in the GTS.

"It proves once again that for the stable provision of European countries with Russian gas it is absolutely necessary to establish additional modern and highly efficient export routes," Miller said.
  (Sputnik)
9/8/17