Ukraine opens its gas transmission system to European monitors and expands data transparency

In addition to providing physical access to Ukraine’s gas transmission system, Ukrtransgaz has begun transmitting complete daily information to the European Commission monitoring mission regarding European consumers’ Russian gas orders, gas volumes entering Ukraine from Russia and volumes destined for the EU and Ukraine.

Such an extensive information system was set up at a meeting including representatives of Naftogaz, Ukrtransgaz and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) on January 30 following a previous agreement between the European Commission and the Ukrainian side. Daily data transmission started on February 2.

The European Commission is taking steps to establish a system of daily monitoring for gas volumes on the territory of Ukraine. To this end, the European Commission together with ENTSOG is implementing in cooperation with Ukrtransgaz a monitoring mechanism to provide complete transparency on gas volumes passing through Ukraine destined for EU consumers.

Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev commented: "We are committed to transparency, and providing unrestricted access to our facilities and data to the European Commission representatives is the best way to demonstrate this. We are supplying Russian gas to European consumers through the territory of Ukraine with complete reliability. Naftogaz welcomes this expanded cooperation with the EC."

Ukrtransgaz president Ihor Prokopiv commented: "By cooperating with European observers, providing access to our facilities and daily exchange of data with trusted European organisations we fully demonstrate the reliability of Ukraine’s gas transportation system."