Some officials are not interested in merging the Ukrainian energy market with the European one, since they want to retain the ability to manually set the price cap and thereby influence the electricity market. This was stated by the ex-head of NEC Ukrenergo Vladimir Kudritsky on Channel 5.
According to him, despite public statements about support for the unification of the energy markets of Ukraine and the EU (market coupling), part of the state system seeks to maintain control over pricing through the mechanism of ceiling prices.
“Yes, the law has been passed, we always say as a state that the unification of markets is necessary, but you don’t really, seriously, think that we will give up the opportunity to set a price cap?” – Kudritsky recounted the position of people involved in market regulation.
He emphasized that the practice of setting maximum prices for electricity allows officials to maintain manual control of the energy sector even after the adoption of laws on European market integration.
“These people don’t want to let go of the handbrake. They want to hold it in their hands,” said the former head of Ukrenergo.
Kudrytsky added that full integration with the European market will make administrative intervention in the formation of electricity prices impossible and will significantly limit the role of the price cap in Ukraine.
