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Ukraine’s energy minister says emergency regime in energy sector will be lifted in May

KIEV, May 7. /TASS/. Ukraine’s ministry of energy and coal industry will not extend the emergency situation regime in the energy sector, Minister Vladimir Demchishin was quoted by the Podriobnosti online newspaper on Thursday.

"We will not extend emergency measures. As a matter of fact, it is inexpedient. The resolution on regulation of the energy market in the zone of the counter-terrorist operation [the force operation in eastern Ukraine -TASS] removes the bulk of problems. In May, the emergency measures will be abandoned," he said.

The Ukrainian cabinet imposed the emergency regime in the energy sector in August 2014 over the lack of coal at Ukrainian heat plants. Coal supplies were stopped due to ongoing conflict in coal-bearing eastern regions of Ukraine. The regime was subsequently extended six times.

Under this regime, the national commission for the regulation of the electricity and utilities sector has the right to fix electricity tariffs and make settlements with generating companies. Urenergo, the energy system operator, is vested with the authority to adjust the capacity of generating facilities and electricity transmission by means of rolling electricity cutoffs and restricting electricity exports.