The Cabinet of Ministers has authorized national joint-stock company to ensure imports of natural gas from one source in the amount of no more than 50% of the total annual volume of gas supplies in 2015.

The instruction is stipulated in the forecast balance of natural gas supply and distribution for 2015 approved by cabinet resolution No. 410-r of April 15 and posted on the government's website on Thursday.

The state holding was instructed to continue the policy of diversifying sources of gas supplies, in particular, via the expansion of technical possibilities of importing gas from Europe and booking pipelines for transporting gas from Slovakia via Budince interconnection point.

According to the document, Ukraine plans to import 25.985 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas, which is 33.5% up on 2014 (19.466 bcm). It is planned to import 6.891 bcm in Q1 2015, 6.963 bcm in Q2 2015, 7.128 bcm in Q3 2015 and 5.003 bcm in Q4 2015.

The sources are not presented in the balance.

Ukraine will require 54.235 bcm of natural gas in 2015, including 19.537 bcm of Ukrainian-produced gas, 25.985 bcm of imported gas, 8.688 bcm of gas pumped from underground storage facilities and 25 million cubic meters of gas pumped from gas pipelines.

According to the document, Ukrgazvydobuvannia plans to produce 14.709 bcm of gas this year (1.497 bcm under joint operation agreements), Ukrnafta – 1.518 bcm (723 million cubic meters under joint operation agreements) and other gas producers – 3.31 bcm of gas.