Ukrainians will not feel the rise in utility prices from 1 April. The government has frozen some tariffs until the end of the heating season, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
The government has promised not to raise electricity tariffs until the end of the heating season.
Since the summer of 2023, a single electricity tariff of UAH 2.64 per kWh has been in effect in the country, regardless of consumption. Therefore, this price will remain the same in April.
The price of gas for household consumers who use Naftogaz’s services will not increase in the near future either. This was reported to Kommersant Ukrainian was exclusively informed by Naftogaz.
“During the period of martial law in Ukraine and six months after the month in which martial law is terminated or cancelled, the price of natural gas for residential consumers shall not be increased from the price applied in the relations between suppliers and relevant consumers as of 24 February 2022,”
– said Naftogaz.
98% of Ukrainians are customers of Naftogaz of Ukraine and buy gas at a guaranteed price of UAH 7.96 per cubic metre.
For the remaining suppliers, the price of natural gas ranges from UAH 7.70 to UAH 9.90 per cubic metre.
The current annual tariffs will expire in May.
Moratorium on raising prices and tariffs for housing and communal services
In the summer of 2022, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law on the regulation of natural gas prices during martial law.
According to the law, tariffs for the distribution of natural gas, heat energy and services for its supply and hot water supply are prohibited from being increased.
However, the same law also stipulated that gas suppliers are not entitled to collect debts for non-payment for natural gas.
The moratorium on fines and penalties for late payments, as well as on disconnection from utility services, was introduced almost immediately after the Russian invasion. However, it was effectively cancelled at the end of last year.
It is an open question whether the ban on gas price increases will be lifted in the same way.
At the same time, some experts suggest that the price of gas for the entire population will increase. This issue was allegedly considered last year.