Ukraine resumes electricity exports to Slovakia after break

Ukraine's national power company, Ukrenergo, announced it is moving to restore the country's ability to export electricity to Slovakia, with the first auction for distribution of capacity on interstate transmission lines along the Ukraine-Slovakia export route beginning today.

At the auction, participants will be offered 200 MW with a delivery date of July 23, from 9 am to 2 pm.

"Because of the war and constant risks from attacks, access to interstate crossings is allocated through daily auctions for short time periods," the message reads.

Ukrenergo and the Slovak transmission system operator SEPS signed an agreement that determines the procedure for holding and distributing funds from auctions for access to interstate interconnectors between the operators of the two energy systems. On July 12, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission approved the agreement, clearing the way for Ukraine to export electricity to Slovakia.

Ukrainian electricity will be exported only when there is a surplus of generated power in the energy system, Ukrenergo emphasizes.

For example, exports are possible in the morning and afternoon hours, when the production of solar power plants is the highest. In hours of deficit, there is still a need to import electricity.

The maximum throughput allowed by ENTSO-E for the export of electricity to Europe for Ukraine and Moldova is currently 400 MW, for import – 1,200 MW. Work is ongoing to increase these volumes.

The export of electricity to Slovakia lasted for several days in April 2023, after which it was blocked by SEPS. Ukrenergo explained this by the lack of a procedure for holding auctions for access to interstate crossings. It was to be introduced by the NEURC.

On July 16, Ukraine imported electricity from Poland for the first time through the upgraded line.

On the evening of July 19, the summer consumption high was recorded in the Ukrainian grid.