Ukraine plans to increase natural gas imports from Europe in August with a view to boosting injections into storage for next winter, Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said on Monday.
He told a televised briefing that Ukraine aimed to import around 40 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas per day from Europe, up from 24 mcm of gas per day in July.
Plans call for increasing injections into underground storage to 52-53 mcm per day in August from the current 35-40 mcm.
Ukraine suspended gas imports from Russia this month due to a price dispute, leaving it dependent on its own output and European imports.
Energy officials say gas transport monopoly Ukrtransgaz must inject about 60 mcm of gas into storage per day to ensure it has enough gas to meet demand during the winter and to ensure there is no disruption to piped Russian gas exports which cross Ukraine to Europe.
Europe receives about half of the Russian gas it imports via Ukraine.
Demchyshyn said last week that Ukraine was on course to fall about 3 billion cubic metres (bcm) short of its reserves target of 18-19 bcm by the start of the cold season.
Ukrtransgaz on Monday said it had stored 12.8 bcm of gas so far.
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