OREANDA-NEWS. January 22, 2009. Ukraine plans to export around 3 billion kWh of electricity in 2009, Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuri Prodan told media.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is technically capable to supplying much more Ukrainian electricity in the Belarusian direction.

The presidents of the two states expressed interest and readiness for renewed supplies of Ukrainian electricity to Belarus at the meeting in Chernigov on January 20. A memorandum on enhancing the cooperation between the two governments in energy sphere was signed. The memorandum includes diversification of energy supplies among other things.

According to current data of the Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Ministry, in 2008 the country reduced the generation and export of electricity by 1.8% and 14.5% respectively in comparison with the previous year. The export reduction is attributed to the cessation of energy export to Belarus on July 1, 2007. Belarus used to account for 7.4% of the Ukrainian energy export. Ukraine exports its electricity mostly to Hungary, Moldova, Russia, Poland, Slovakia and Romania.