23 February 2016, 11:47
The participants in the event headed by Deputy Chairperson of the Committee Olha Belkova were people's deputies of Ukraine, representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry of Ukraine, the Naftogaz of Ukraine national joint-stock company, PJSC Ukrtransgas company, as well as Director of the Secretariat of the Energy Community Janez Kopac, representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and others.
Major rapporteurs were Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Volodymyr Demchyshyn and Board Chairperson of Naftogaz of Ukraine Andrii Kobolev.
According to presenters, the requirements of the Third Energy Package and the Law of Ukraine "On natural gas market," in particular, Articles 23, 27, 28 envision introduction of the "unbundling" aimed at protection of independence of gas transport system operator from the activity on production, distribution and supply of natural gas.
As a result of the unbundling of types of activity, the gas market of Ukraine is expected to become more competitive, and consumers are expected to have the right to free selection of suppliers.
The issue of selection of the model of unbundling remains the most problematic and disputable. Pursuant to the Law of Ukraine "On the natural gas market" such models can be OU (Ownership Unbundling) or ISO (Independent System Operator). The major difference between these models lies in the mechanism of control over the main network. In first case (OU) an owner of the network is deprived of the ownership right to assets in companies, which extract or supply natural gas. This model was the most acceptable for the EU. In the second case (ISO) a vertically-integrated company remains the owner of the network, however, network is managed by an independent system operator.
For the first time ever, both models that touched unbundling — from the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry and the Naftogaz of Ukraine national joint-stock company — were presented during the event. The world community provided comments on the offered models. The full version of the ministry's concept is available on: http://www.slideshare.net/UAEnergyMinistry/ss-58471741.
According to the roundtable participants, the issues should be considered under close attention of the society and representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, inter alia people's deputies of Ukraine.