Ukraine is willing to export 100,000 tons of coal to Poland in September, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Poland is currently seeking to import coal to make up the shortfall sparked by its decision in spring to stop any further coal imports from Russia. Up until then, Russia had been a major supplier of coal to Poland, an energy source that fuels over 70 percent of Poland’s energy needs, power and heating.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal took to the Telegram social media platform to write that Ukraine, together with the EU, is preparing to go through the most difficult winter for many years, and that he and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had at the weekend discussed the way forward. He said that Ukraine was ready to offer coal export quotas for Poland, and was prepared to provide 100,000 tons of coal badly needed by Poland.
Ukraine has coal reserves of 2 million tons, which is 2.5 times the level of coal reserves the country had at the equivalent time last year. Poland is facing high demand for coal from both domestic and industrial users. Some 3 million homes are still heated by coal and these users are keen to buy coal for the winter, as they are quickly fearing further price rises that could cancel out the 3,000 Polish złoty in benefits given to those who use coal.
Shmyhal also discussed construction work on the electricity lines between one of Ukraine’s nuclear power stations and the southeast of Poland. These are meant to be completed by mid-December and will allow Ukraine to export an additional 1,000 megawatts.
