Gas shortages in storage will lead to inevitable outages, warns housing expert Oleg Popenko on heating issues.

Between December 2024 and February 2025, attacks on the DCS in the Poltava and Kharkiv regions resulted in a decrease in domestic gas production. Will this situation affect gas supplies and the stability of heating systems?

Gas Shortage: How Ukraine Will Overcome the Crisis

As stated by Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine will require approximately 1 billion cubic meters of gas imports by the end of 2025. This figure may increase depending on the volumes at the end of the heating season 2024-2025, taking into account the shelling of the Russian Federation's gas infrastructure.

Ukraine has already reached a historic low in gas reserves, which were once much higher.

"Today, we have less gas than we did last year at the same time. As for purchases, there is also a shortage of blue fuel in the EU, and its price is rising. The market price of gas is 550-570 dollars per thousand cubic meters. We are purchasing it for 670 dollars," he said.

However, even with imports, experts believe that temporary outages in gas supply to the private sector and reductions in the temperature of centralized heating in apartment buildings are possible.

What Will Happen to Heating Amid Infrastructure Shelling

Oleg Popenko noted that Ukraine is facing a gas shortage, and the company "Ukrenergo" has already begun implementing power restrictions for industry and businesses during periods when thermal power plants (TPPs) and combined heat and power plants (CHPPs) are operating at full capacity.

Ukrainians should prepare for possible outages and restrictions, at least until the end of March.

"Gradually, gas supply will be reduced for everyone. Not only will there be preventive outages, but emergency outage schedules will also be introduced by regions in Ukraine. Consumers are already reporting that the gas pressure in their houses running on gas has significantly decreased. Therefore, I believe we are facing not only power and gas outages but also a drop in temperature in apartment buildings. We should expect the introduction of gas supply restrictions. This forecast extends for the next two months," Oleg Popenko stated.

According to the housing expert, Ukrainians should prepare for potential outages and restrictions until at least the end of March. However, there is still a chance that these restrictions for consumers will not last long—if Ukraine can urgently procure the necessary volumes of imported gas and strengthen air defense systems for gas infrastructure facilities.

Recall that Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko reported on mass strikes by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on energy facilities, as a result of which operators urgently implemented emergency electricity restrictions. This pertains to attacks on gas extraction infrastructure in the Poltava region.