The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has retuned the lower limits for gas consumption for households without meters.

According to the draft resolution approved at the government meeting on Wednesday, a copy of which has been sent to Interfax-Ukraine, the new limits are set at 3.29 cubic meters per person for households with a gas stove and centralized hot water supply, 5.39 cubic meters with a gas stove, without centralized hot water supply and a water heater, and 10.49 cubic meters with a gas stove and a water heater.

In addition, according to the document, companies supplying natural gas to residential consumers cannot be charged with debts for natural gas within the limits of its consumption established by government resolution No. 619 dated June 8, 1996, as well as penalties, 3% per annum and inflation losses accrued on the debt.

According to the document, the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, together with NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, should take into account the costs of installing individual gas meters for households in the financial plan of the company.

As reported, the cassation administrative court of the Supreme Court at the end of November 2018 canceled the action established by decision No. 203 (which was adopted in violation of the regulations) of the Cabinet of Ministers on the limits of natural gas consumption for residential consumers without meters. Instead, the previous decisions (made in government resolution No. 619 dated June 8, 1996, and amended on October 1, 2014) that have the limits set two and three times higher came into force.

In the repealed resolution the gas consumption rate was set at 3.3 cubic meters per person for households with a gas stove and centralized hot running water; 5.4 cubic meters - with a gas stove, without centralized hot running water and a water heater; 10.5 cubic meters - with a gas stove and a water heater. Resolution No. 619 that the newly entered into force sets the limits at 9.8 cubic meters, 18.3 cubic meters and 23.6 cubic meters per person, respectively.

On the basis of the difference between these limits, customers of regional gas supply companies in December 2018 began to receive bills, taking into account the debt accumulated over 30 months. However, the regional gas companies said that the amount of debt accrued during the period of the undervalued, in their opinion, limits was given solely for informational purposes and it is not payable. At the same time, they said that subsequent bills will be coming, taking into account the increased rates.

Earlier, Naftogaz Ukrainy called on household consumers of natural gas without meters, who received bills calculated on the basis of excessive consumption rates in January, to send relevant complaints to the government hotline.