From January 2024, Ukrainians will face a new type of payment in utility bills. Residents of apartment buildings that use gas will receive additional expenses intended for technical maintenance of gas pipes inside the entrance and apartment. The reason for the introduction of the new payment was the lack of systematic monitoring of the technical condition of gas networks inside buildings for several years.
Until 2018, the cost of these works was included in the gas price paid by gas distribution network operators. However, this practice has been abolished, and now operators are required to estimate the cost of maintenance of gas pipes inside buildings. This amount will be included in a separate line item in the gas bill.
Starting in 2024, Ukrainians will pay between 25 and 65 hryvnias per month for maintenance of gas pipes inside the house. This initiative is aimed at creating a financial reserve for carrying out necessary maintenance work.
The regulation of the new gas payment is carried out using three documents approved by the Ukrainian government: Order of the Ministry of Energy No. 292 of September 2, 2023, Resolution of the national regulator (NEURC) No. 2291 of December 5, 2023, and the methodology for calculating the cost of technical maintenance developed by NEURC.
By the end of 2023, Ukrainians will receive two separate payments: one for gas (paid to the gas supplier) and another for gas delivery (paid to the gas distribution network operator). The gas distribution network operator will be responsible for the maintenance of the pipes leading to the apartment building, while the users themselves will be responsible for the pipes inside the building.
The cost of maintenance of in-house networks will vary for different regional gas companies, and these tariffs should be published on the relevant regional gas company portals. It is noted that payments will vary from 25 to 69 hryvnias, depending on the region and the condition of the gas networks.
The new gas payment includes the cost of a number of technical services, such as a visual inspection of gas pipelines, testing for tightness of connections, pressure testing, and other procedures that ensure the safety and reliability of gas systems in homes.
Recall that Ukrainian news also reported the opening of two new gas wells that could provide up to 200,000 cubic meters of gas per day. While this news highlights the development of the energy sector in Ukraine, Russia's Gazprom continues to receive profits from gas and use them to wage war in Ukraine.
