Ukraine posts 6.9% fall in electricity generation in Jan-Feb
Ukraine's integrated power grids decreased electricity output by 6.9% or 2.566 billion kilowatt-hours year-over-year in January and February 2013, to 34.859 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), an Energy and Coal Industry Ministry source has told Interfax-Ukraine.
Nuclear power plants cut electricity output by 3.3%, to 15.762 billion kWh.
In particular, Zaporizhia nuclear power plant saw an increase of 2.2% in electricity generation, to 7.011 billion kWh, Rivne nuclear power plant increased production by 19.9%, to 3.012 billion kWh, while Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plants decreased output by 7.8%, to 3.867 billion kWh over the period under review, and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant saw a 31.6% decrease, to 1.872 billion kWh.
The ministry's thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants cut their electricity output by 15.7%, to 15.219 billion kWh, including a decline of 15.4% in output at generating companies' thermal power plants, to 12.832 billion kWh, while combined heat and power plants cut it by 16.8%, to 2.387 billion kWh.
Hydropower plants in January and February 2013 saw a 57.1% increase in power generation, to 2.053 billion kWh, while municipally owned heat stations and district power stations reduced electricity output by 1.4%, to 1.687 billion kWh.
Generation of electricity from non-traditional sources (wind farms, solar power plants, biomass) grew by 2.3 times in January and February 2013 year-over-year, to 137.5 million kWh.
The share of the nuclear power plants was 45.2% of Ukraine's overall electricity output (43.6% in January and February 2012), the ministry's thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants accounted for 43.7% (48.2%), hydropower plants for 5.9% (3.5%), while the share of municipally owned heat stations and district power stations was 4.8% (4.6%). The share of alternative energy sources in the total electricity output was 0.4% (0.1%).
Overall electricity output in February 2013 alone fell by 13.5%, or 2.555 billion kWh, from February 2012, to 16.421 billion kWh.
The nuclear power plants, thermal power plants and district boiler houses in January and February 2013 cut heat sales compared to the same period last year by 14.1% or 1.326 million Gcal, having sold 8.055 million Gcal.
As was reported, Ukraine's integrated power grids raised electricity output by 2.1% or 3.993 billion kilowatt-hours year-over-year in 2012, to 198.097 billion kWh.