Coal stocks at warehouses of thermal power plants (TPPs) in Ukraine in April grew by 3.9%, to 2.746 million tonnes, a source in Ukraine's Energy and Coal Industry Ministry has said.

In particular, the stocks of gas coal and long-flame coal reached 1.633 million tonnes, while those of anthracite coal amounted to 1.114 million tonnes.

Fuel oil stocks at power stations in April decreased by 1.3%, to 114,100 tonnes.

Coal stocks at power stations as of May 1, 2016 were 3.1 times more than on May 1, 2015, fuel oil stocks were 20.7% more than in the same period in 2015.

Natural gas consumption by power plants in April 2016 amounted to 170.6 million cubic meters against 491.7 million cubic meters in March 2016 and 295.9 million cubic meters in April 2015.

In January-April 2016 TPPs and CHPPs received 437,000 tonnes of imported steam coal, in particular South Africa supplied 287,000 tonnes of coal, Russia 150,000 tonnes. Some 31,100 tonnes of imported coal was shipped to TPPs and CHPPs in April alone, including 4,200 tonnes from South Africa and 26,900 tonnes from Russia.