CCC/183 ISBN 978-92-9029-503-7

May 2011

copyright © IEA Clean Coal Centre

Abstract

Ukraine’s energy economy is largely served by natural gas imported from Russia, even though coal is

the country’s richest resource of fossil fuels. Within the power generating sector, nuclear power’s role

is expected to increase in the future. The country’s 60 Mt/y coal industry, mostly bituminous and

anthracite, has recently undergone a programme of changes, including mine privatisation, closing of

unproductive mines and, in some cases, modernisation of equipment and improvement of safety

measures. Non-fossil/nuclear energy sources play a minor role in the country’s energy balance.

Coal is located mainly in Donbass, in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine. There are a few, smaller

fields in other parts of the country. Ukraine’s Energy Strategy to 2030 is based on the government’s

intention to decrease the country’s dependence on imported fuels. It includes plans to increase the coal

production. The power generation sector has over-capacity and is exporting to neighbouring countries.

However, power shortages occur due to plant inefficiency and large transmission losses. While nuclear

power is being pursued, coal is becoming a growing factor in the future prosperity of the Ukrainian

economy.