Energy generating company Centrenergo expects to receive two batches of coal totaling 160,000 tonnes by October 15, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Volodymyr Demchyshyn told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet.

"They contracted two vessels. The first one will arrive after September 20 and another one somewhere by October 15," the minister said.

Demchyshyn also said that under Centrenergo's contract for the supply of 200,000 tonnes of coal from Kuzbass (Russia), the first batch of 30,000 tonnes is being loaded.

According to him, the first trains with coal may cross the Ukrainian-Russian border before September 1.

According to him, loading began six days ago, and 3,500 tonnes is being loaded per day.