05
Jan
2021

Close but no cigar: Ukraine’s hub ambitions within reach

Only Subscribers can read the full Article

Ukraine has taken a giant leap towards its aim of becoming a regional gas hub, thanks to a programme of market reforms that have accelerated in the months since the election of president Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019. TSO unbundling, abolishment of regulated prices and implementation of network codes have all played a role. Moreover, the implementation of Virtual Interconnection Points (VIPs), which group two or more interconnection points into one bookable platform, on its borders with Hungary and Poland has boosted cross-border trade.

Ukraine boasts an extensive pipeline network and around 30 Bcm of storage capacity. This is a good starting point for establishing a liquid hub, and the country was boosted last month by the endorsement of the EU’s Energy Community, which pronounced it ready to lay the foundations of a gas exchange trading mechanism that could evolve into a hub for central and south-eastern Europe. However, more work is needed to boost confidence in a market still marred by intransparency and frequent regulatory changes.

 

Subscription Benefits

Our three titles – LNG Business Review, Gas Matters and Gas Matters Today – tackle the biggest questions on global developments and major industry trends through a mixture of news, profiles and analysis.

LNG Business Review

LNG Business Review seeks to discover new truths about today’s LNG industry. It strives to widen market players’ scope of reference by actively engaging with events, offering new perspectives while challenging existing ones, and never shying away from being a platform for debate.

Gas Matters

Gas Matters digs deep into the stories of today, keeping the challenges of tomorrow in its sights. Weekly features and interviews, informed by unrivalled in-house expertise, offer a fresh perspective on events as well as thoughtful, intelligent analysis that dares to challenge the status quo.

Gas Matters Today

Gas Matters Today cuts through the bluster of online news and views to offer trustworthy, informed perspectives on major events shaping the gas and LNG industries. This daily news service provides unparalleled insight by drawing on the collective knowledge of in-house reporters, specialist contributors and extensive archive to go beyond the headlines, making it essential reading for gas industry professionals.

Did you know that your Internet Explorer Browser is out of date?

Your MS Internet Explorer browser is out of date, and will not be fully compatible with our website. For best browsing experience we recommend that you upgrade your IE browser to a more recent version or use an alternative, more recent browser.