Andrii Chubyk, Executive Directorof the Centre for Global Studies"Strategy XXI", says that the transition to the metering of the supplied gas in terms of its net calorific value is justified in view of certain differences existing in Ukraine in various regions: "This process has already been launched since May 2015 and is being implemented by Ukrtransgaz. The need for such changes is due to the gradual transition to market pricing, where the quality of the product should also play its part. As a result, those regions of Ukraine, where the quality of gas for one reason or another is lower than the weighted average in accordance with the standards approved by the National energy regulator, would have to pay a slightly lower price".
Andrii Chubykalso does not deny the possibility of replacing old gas meters with new ones, but at the same time he believes that there are currently no gas meters that could be purchased at an acceptable consumer price: "In many EU member states, in particular, the Federal Republic of Germany, they use the principle accounting on the basis of the consumed volumes of gas in cubic meters, however, they devote a great deal of attention to controlling the quality of this resource.Supply companies install special devices, they buy gas of different calorific capacity for further mixing in order to obtain the parameters of calorific value determined by the standards for the avoidance of fines".
Currently, Ukrtransgas estimates gas quality through 65 chemical analytical laboratories and 47 flow chromoscopes operating in automatic mode, saysAndrii Chubyk: "According to the Gas Code, adopted in October 2015, gas samples are taken at least once a week at all points of entry and exit into the gas transportation system".An ordinary consumer, the expert says, will receive relevant information on gas quality in a gas bill. If for some reason he has doubts as to the reliability of the information, he may require the gas supply company to carry out an additional gas capture for the laboratory assessment of its quality. "But the cost of laboratory tests for the quality of blue fuel in local laboratories, which position themselves as independent, costs from 2 thousand UAH. If it turns out that the gas is of worse quality than indicated in the bill and the figures exceed the permissible variation, then the company must compensate all the costs of the consumer and pay the corresponding fine. If indicators are normal, then the consumer himself pays for conducting a laboratory analysis of gas quality", - added Andrii Chubyk.
