NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy is ready to provide natural gas to household consumers (population) under the monthly tariff plan at a regulated price of UAH 6.99 per cubic meter till the end of the quarantine or heating season, Naftogaz Ukrainy said.

For customers who have signed up for the annual tariff plan, the cost of gas will not change and will amount to UAH 4.73, UAH 5.24 and UAH 6.45 per cubic meter, in accordance with the terms of the contracts, the company said in a statement.

"We are ready to minimize the pressure of energy prices on the vulnerable segments of the population during quarantine restrictions. We are ready to 'accept at the supplier of last resort' everyone who will be without a gas supplier in case the gas selling company is not ready to provide the government-set price of UAH 6.99 per cubic meter," CEO of Naftogaz Ukrainy Andriy Kobolev said.

At the same time, he called the introduction of regulated gas prices by the government as a forced step caused by the strong opposition of private suppliers to the development of the gas market and the transition of consumers to new suppliers, which is manifested in the creation of all sorts of obstacles for them.

"Every day we receive complaints from consumers who cannot find the EIC-code [energy identification code], who are threatened to accrue invented debts based on temperature coefficients or cut off gas for allegedly incorrectly filled documents," Kobolev said.

At the same time, the company expressed the hope that the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) and the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine will effectively use the time of the state regulated price for gas to investigate violations in the gas market, draw objective conclusions and take effective measures to protect consumers and market participants.

As reported, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal instructed to prepare state regulation of gas prices for the quarantine period at UAH 6.99 per cubic meter.