More than 50 entrepreneurs, energy sector experts, and the Ministry of Energy and Coal representatives participated in the opening meeting of the Energy Club in MIM-Kyiv. The situation in the industry and its reform were the main topics of discussion.

Energy sector provides 8% of GDP in Ukraine, pays a quarter of all the taxes in the country, and provides 3% of jobs. If implemented successfully, the reform of the retail electricity market will increase state budget revenues by 12 billion US dollars by 2030. On the one hand, Ukrainians are suffering from rising costs of electricity and on the other hand, they are getting more and more saving tools. The most active could be able to generate electricity and sell it.

The electricity market reform which started on January 1, 2019, has already created business opportunities. More opportunities will come with the second stage of reform implementation which will start on July 1, 2019. Those and other significant changes were discussed during the first Energy Club meeting of MIM-Kyiv.

Prior to the meeting, MIM-Kyiv conducted an online survey concerning energy reform. 8 questions were designed in a way which could help understand public sentiment towards the reform. More than 80% of respondents mentioned that they did not see the improvement of the services, that their suppliers were the same and reliable but they could not use their right to change the supplier. 63.8% of respondents answered that new tariffs had not met their expectations. However, 65.7% said that they are ready to pay more for a better service. 67,6% trust market price better than the price established by the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission, the regulator. 79.4% stated that incorporation with the European market of electricity was in their best interest.

The heated discussion proved that people have more questions than answers. Experts’ dialogue is very important. Therefore, it was decided that every quarter MIM-Kyiv’s Energy Club will meet to discuss those and other issues related to the energy sector reform.