KIEV, Ukraine, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Ukraine wants long-term energy contracts and improved energy efficiency in a bid to reduce imports, Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko said.
"Speaking about energy security, today the Cabinet is working on two directions: First, it is seeking stable contracts which guarantee supplies of energy sources, including uranium, gas and oil, to Ukraine. The second direction has to do with reducing the consumption of energy sources in the country," he said in comments to state-owned UT1 TV on Monday.
He said by December 2007, the country would have consumed less than in 2006 due to energy-saving technologies.
"Last year Ukraine consumed 75 billion cu.m. of gas, our goal this year is 68 billion cu.m. This year's warm winter gave us 2 billion cu.m.,” he said. “The additional 5 billion have been economized due to the use of turbo-expanders, increased coal extraction and switching to coal-based energy generation."
Ukraine gets most of its energy supply from Russia, which has not shied away from raising prices for gas for its former Soviet partners.
