DTEK in August 2017 increased purchase of coal from the Lviv and Volyn basin coalmines by 37% compared to July, to 72,000 tonnes, the company’s press service has reported.

"This would allow supplying gas coal to thermal power plants (TPPs) that operate on the conditions of the top priority loading," the company said.

The press service said that DTEK TPPs are the key consumers of coal made by state-owned enterprises Lvivvuhillia and Volynvuhillia. The volumes of purchase depend on the country's balance of energy and demand on electricity generated by Zakhidenergo's TPPs.

Since early 2017, DTEK has bought around 439,000 tonnes of coal from the Lviv and Volyn basin coalmines. The DTEK's share of Lvivvuhillia and Volynvuhillia's sales is around 80%.

DTEK said that from September 2017 the price of coal for TPPs and combined head and power plants (CHPPs) grew by 10%, to UAH 2,200 per tonne (VAT and transportation cost not included).