No threat to Ukraine's electricity imports due to Fico's remarks – Ukrainian PM

There is no prospect of electricity imports from Europe to Ukraine being reduced or restricted as a result of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's threats to cut off its supply.

Source: Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s Prime Minister, during an hour of questions to the government in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), as reported by Interfax-Ukraine 

Quote: "The Slovak power grid is part of the united European grid. Even if they were technically able to shut down their input to Ukraine for a short period for repairs, according to the rules of the united market, the volume of electricity is proportionally redistributed among the supplier countries. Poland and our other neighbours have stated that they are ready to cooperate if necessary. So there is currently no threat of electricity imports being restricted," Shmyhal said.

Ukraine is in direct contact with the European Commission, which is closely monitoring the situation, the prime minister said. Decisions on imports are made by the united energy grid, not the Slovak operators.

Shmyhal said that immediately following Fico's statements, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry had contacted all three European authorities responsible for the stability of the electricity supply: the European Commission, ENTSO-E (the network of Continental European system operators), and the Energy Community.

Ukraine is currently receiving sufficient import volumes from Slovakia, Shmyhal stated.

Background:

• Slovakia had said that it would consider retaliatory measures against Ukraine, such as cutting off backup electricity supplies, in response to the cessation of Russian gas transit in 2025.  As expected, Kyiv stopped the transit of Russian gas to Slovakia on 1 January.
• Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sent a letter to European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, reiterating his complaints about Ukraine's refusal to continue transiting Russian gas after 2024.
• Slovakia's electricity grid operator, SEPS, has pledged that despite Fico's threats, electricity exports to Ukraine will not be stopped.

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