Slovakia will continue to supply electricity to Ukraine despite Fico's threats
Kyiv • UNN
Slovak operator SEPS has confirmed that it will continue to supply electricity to Ukraine as part of emergency assistance. In 11 months of 2023, electricity exports from Slovakia to Ukraine tripled.
Slovakia's electricity transmission system operator, state-owned SEPS, will provide potential electricity supplies to Ukraine as part of emergency assistance under an existing contract with its Ukrainian partner Ukrenergo. This is stated in a statement by SEPS, UNN reports with reference to Irozhlas.
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The Slovak company will also ensure cross-border transmission of electricity through all sections in a standard mode, the statement said.
In recent days, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has repeatedly threatened Kyiv with retaliatory measures, including the termination of electricity supplies, in connection with the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine after the expiration of the relevant contract between Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz.
Last spring, SEPS extended its contract for another 12 months, under which it can supply up to 150 megawatts of electricity to the Ukrainian grid as part of emergency assistance.
In the first 11 months of last year, net electricity exports from Slovakia to Ukraine reached 2.43 terawatt-hours, three and a half times higher than in the same period in 2023.
Former Slovak Minister of Economy Karel Hirman previously stated that electricity is sold to Ukraine by traders, not the state. He argued that Slovakia would be drawn into a conflict within the EU if electricity supplies to Ukraine were cut off. According to media reports, Poland expressed its readiness to increase electricity supplies to Ukraine after the Slovak prime minister's comments.
