Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting on Wednesday extended the state of emergency in the electricity market introduced three months ago for one more month.

"We need to expand [the state of emergency] as we are to make quick managerial decisions: unfortunately, we manage the system not as usual. We will pass this test, no matter whoever impede us," Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said at a government meeting on Thursday.

Energy and Coal Industry Minister Ihor Nasalyk said that the introduction of the state of emergency allowed saving 1.7 million tonnes of coal and boost its stocks at warehouses to 2.2 million tonnes, which equals to the stocks recorded in autumn 2016, before the start of the heating season.

Nasalyk said that thanks to the taken measures contribution of nuclear energy in electricity generation in Ukraine in April reached 62.5%, and the record was broken last Sunday – 68% compared to 47% in May 2016.

As reported, emergency measures in the energy sector, stipulated in government resolution No. 103-r of February 15, came into effect on February 17 because of the blockade by activists with the support of a number of people's deputies of deliveries of goods from the ATO zone, in particular, anthracite coal, which is used by half of thermal power plants in the country.

During the period of emergency measures, Ukrenergo is obliged to determine the permissible level of reducing the reserve of power generating capacities, establish requirements for thermal power plants equipment, if necessary and in coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry to apply rolling blackouts.

Energomarket state-run enterprise is to draw up schedules for loading the power grid, taking into account the needs of Ukrenergo, provide for sending payments for electricity to its generators at the upper price in the system.

Energoatom is obliged to provide for partial unloading of some reactors of nuclear power plants (NPPs) on weekends and holidays if it is required.