National energy company Ukrenergo intends to build a 220 kV power line that would unite the north of Luhansk region with the Ukrainian power grid by late 2017, acting director of the company Vsevolod Kovalchuk told reporters on Tuesday.

"We hope that by the end of next year, no later than Q1 2018, we will finish building a power line and a substation. This would help to unite the power lines from Kreminna to Luhansk thermal power plant," he said.

Kovalchuk said that Ukrenergo seeks to finish designing the feasibility study for the project by September and start building the power line in 2016.

As reported, the northern part of Luhansk region receives electricity from Luhansk thermal power plant operating in the energy island mode. The lines connecting the plant with Ukraine's power grid located on the territory beyond control of the Ukrainian government are damaged and it is a problem to restore them.