---
title: "Price caps prevent Ukraine from using up to 2.5 GW of electricity imports during deficit hours — expert"
description: "Razumkov Center expert Omelchenko stated that the manual mode of price caps prevents Ukraine from using up to 2.5 GW of electricity imports during deficit hours. A transition to European pricing principles is needed."
date: 2026-08-22T14:40:04.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/price-caps-limit-ukraine-electricity-import-en
tags: [ukraine-energy, price-caps, electricity-import, ncreku, power-grid]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Price caps prevent Ukraine from using up to 2.5 GW of electricity imports during deficit hours — expert

![High-voltage transmission towers and power lines against the sky — symbol of electricity imports into Ukraine limited by price caps](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/22/price-caps-limit-ukraine-electricity-import/price-caps-limit-ukraine-electricity-import-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Ukraine can import up to 2.5 GW of electricity, which is comparable to two and a half nuclear power units.
- The manual mode of price caps, according to Omelchenko's assessment, creates an import deficit in the hours when domestic generation is insufficient.
- The NKREKU raised price caps in January 2026, but returned them to their previous level from March 31.
- Herus stated there is no risk of uncontrolled price growth upon the abolition of price caps from May 1, 2027, while Vyzir pointed to the unprofitability of part of the generation under the existing caps.

Ukraine has the capacity to import up to 2.5 GW of electricity, however the current approach to setting price caps — maximum prices on individual market segments — does not allow this resource to be fully utilized precisely during periods of deficit. This was stated by Vladimir Omelchenko, Director of Energy and Infrastructure Programs at the Razumkov Center, whose words are cited by RBC-Ukraine. In his assessment, maximum prices on the market should be formed according to European principles, rather than being set manually.

### Import as an element of winter grid resilience

Omelchenko emphasized that import is one of the key elements of the power system's resilience in winter, alongside nuclear and distributed generation. The available 2.5 GW in capacity, the expert compared to almost two and a half nuclear power units. "Next comes the import of electricity, which is 2.5 gigawatts. That is also a considerable amount in terms of capacity, almost 2.5 nuclear units. But these import capacities need to be used better," he noted.

### Manual mode of caps creates a deficit at the right hours

According to the expert, the government and the NKREKU need to change their approach to price caps — the maximum price at which electricity can be sold on individual market segments. When such a price "ceiling" is set manually and does not correspond to the market situation, Ukraine risks losing the opportunity to buy electricity from Europe precisely in those hours when its own generation is insufficient. "Because when price caps are regulated in manual mode, a deficit of import capacity is created at the time when we need it. And we absolutely do not need that, so this is also a very important issue," Omelchenko emphasized.

### Chronology of the regulator's decisions: increase in January, rollback in March

Recall that the NKREKU raised price caps on the short-term market segments in January 2026. According to industry analysts, this step allowed expanding import crossings and increasing electricity imports from Europe during the deficit caused by damage to the energy infrastructure as a result of Russian shelling. However, the Regulator's January decision was temporary: in accordance with the NKREKU resolution, from March 31 the price caps were returned to their previous level.

### Positions on the abolition of price caps and the unprofitability of generation

The head of the Verkhovna Rada committee on energy and public utilities, Andriy Herus, stated that the abolition of price caps from May 1, 2027 does not create a risk of uncontrolled price growth, since the law provides mechanisms for protecting the market and consumers. Earlier, the coordinator of the "Energy and Climate" sector of the Ukraine Facility Platform, Oleksandr Vyzir, noted that during a deficit, part of the available generation may be unprofitable to launch through price caps: if the production of one megawatt-hour costs more than the allowed sale price, the power plant effectively has to operate at a loss.

### Contradictory data

In the public discussion, there are discrepancies in the assessment of effects and timelines. On the one hand, the increase in price caps in January 2026, according to analysts' estimates, did indeed expand import crossings and increased supplies from Europe during deficit hours. On the other hand, the rollback of the caps to their previous level from March 31, 2026, and the maintenance of the manual regulation mode, in the opinion of Omelchenko and Vyzir, again limit imports precisely when they are needed. Meanwhile, Herus's position on the safety of abolishing price caps from May 1, 2027, relies on legislative protection mechanisms, whereas experts point to the current losses from manual pricing. Thus, the parties disagree on how much the current regime already affects imports and exactly when a sustainable effect from the liberalization of price ceilings will be achieved.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Price caps prevent Ukraine from fully using electricity imports, - expert](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prays-kepi-zavazhayut-ukrayini-povnistyu-1787409321.html) - Основной источник: заявление Омельченко о 2,5 ГВт импорта и ручном режиме прайс-кепов, цитаты эксперта.
- [Price caps limit imports precisely when the country needs power the most, - expert](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prays-kepi-obmezhuyut-import-same-todi-koli-1783341881.html) - Основной источник: заявление Омельченко о 2,5 ГВт импорта и ручном режиме прайс-кепов, цитаты эксперта.
- [Low price caps have already reduced electricity imports from the EU, - First Energy Council](https://www.unian.net/economics/energetics/nizkie-prays-kepy-uzhe-sokratili-import-elektroenergii-iz-es-pervyy-energeticheskiy-sovet-13351467.html) - Контекст: влияние низких прайс-кепов на сокращение импорта из ЕС; согласуется с позицией экспертов.
- [Artificial price restrictions again hold back electricity imports during deficit hours ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/ekonomika-glavnaya/iskusstvennyie-tsenovyie-ogranicheniya-vnov-sderzhivayut-import-elektroenergii-v-chasyi-defitsita-kudritskij.htm) - Дополнительный контекст по сдерживанию импорта искусственными ценовыми ограничениями в часы дефицита.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How much electricity can Ukraine import?
**A:** According to Vladimir Omelchenko's estimate, up to 2.5 GW, which he compared to almost two and a half nuclear power units.

### Q: Why do price caps hinder imports?
**A:** When maximum prices are set manually and do not correspond to the market situation, Ukraine loses the opportunity to buy electricity from Europe in the hours when its own generation is insufficient.

### Q: What did the NKREKU do with price caps in 2026?
**A:** The Regulator raised price caps on the short-term segments in January 2026, and returned them to their previous level from March 31.

### Q: When is the abolition of price caps planned?
**A:** According to Andriy Herus's statement, the abolition of price caps is provided for from May 1, 2027; he noted that the law contains mechanisms for protecting the market and consumers.