The load on thermal power generation in the heating season 2020/2021 was on average twice as high as in the same period last year, which was caused by untimely withdrawal from repairs of nuclear power units and increased consumption, DTEK Energy's press service has said.

According to the company's press release, DTEK's thermal power plants (TPPs) generated 12.6 billion kWh of electricity for the period from October 2020 to February 25, 2021, of which almost 1 billion kWh was generated in addition to the planned schedule following the orders of Ukrenergo.

At the same time, about 9 billion kWh were generated during the same period last season, the press service told Interfax-Ukraine.

DTEK said that in December, electricity generation at its TPP exceeded the forecast balance of the Ministry of Energy by 48.5%, calling it the reason for the significant reduction in coal stocks at thermal power plants in January.

At the same time, DTEK Energy confirmed that in February it had delivered about 450,000 tonnes of coal from Poland, Kazakhstan and the controlled Mine Office Obukhovskaya (Russia) to Ukraine.

According to DTEK Energy CEO Ildar Saleev, the equator of the heating season, as well as the peak of severe frosts, Ukraine passed without phased blackouts, including due to the increased load on thermal power generation. At the same time, he said that Ukrenergo's debt to DTEK for operating in the balancing market reached UAH 2.4 billion.

"If we want to correct the accident situation, we need to stabilize the market situation and provide financial opportunities for generating companies to conduct annual repair campaigns," Saleev said.