---
title: "Price Caps May Limit Electricity Imports in Winter: ICC Proposes a Solution"
description: "Current electricity price caps could block EU imports and dispatchable generation in winter. ICC Ukraine suggests raising the limit to 18,000 UAH/MWh."
date: 2026-10-01T11:38:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/price-keps-may-limit-electricity-import-in-winter-icc-en
tags: [electricity, price-caps, icc-ukraine, energy-crisis, imports]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Price Caps May Limit Electricity Imports in Winter: ICC Proposes a Solution

![Energy infrastructure and power lines in Ukraine](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/01/price-keps-may-limit-electricity-import-in-winter-icc/price-keps-may-limit-electricity-import-in-winter-icc-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Price caps at 15,000 UAH/MWh could block electricity imports from the EU this winter.
- ICC Ukraine proposes raising the price limit to 18,000 UAH/MWh to support dispatchable generation.
- Artificial restrictions hinder the financing of emergency repairs at energy facilities following attacks.

Current electricity market price caps pose serious risks to Ukraine's energy security for the upcoming winter period. According to experts from the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine), existing limits could block the ability to attract necessary imports and stimulate dispatchable generation during critical deficit hours. ### NEURC Draft and ICC Position

Amid preparations for the heating season, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) published a new draft resolution. The document proposes setting the maximum price cap on the day-ahead and intraday markets at 15,000 UAH/MWh. However, the expert community considers this threshold insufficient to fully cover market needs.

ICC Ukraine Vice President for Energy Oleksandr Trokhymets emphasized that in winter, electricity prices in neighboring European Union countries may exceed Ukraine's price ceiling. As a result, a paradoxical situation will arise: the physically scarce resource in Europe will be available, grid capacity will allow its transfer, but commercial imports will become impossible due to artificial domestic restrictions.

### Threats to Gas Generation and Emergency Repairs

In addition to imports, rigid price caps undermine the prospects for the accelerated development of distributed gas generation. Such mini-power plants can quickly compensate for energy shortages, but the high cost of their operation under strict price regulation makes exploitation economically unfeasible. ICC Ukraine is convinced that an optimal compromise would be raising the maximum price cap to 18,000 UAH/MWh. This does not mean an automatic scandalous rise in tariffs to this amount, but it will create a flexible market signal to attract emergency supplies and finance continuous repair work at critical infrastructure facilities affected by regular shelling.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Прайс-кепы могут ограничить импорт электроэнергии зимой: в ІСС назвали решение](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/prays-kepi-mozhut-obmezhiti-import-elektroenergiyi-1790854462.html) - Основной источник информации о позиции ICC Ukraine и предложении установить прайс-кеп 18 000 грн.
- [Низкие прайс-кепы уже сократили импорт электроэнергии из ЕС, - Первый энергетический совет](https://www.unian.net/economics/energetics/nizkie-prays-kepy-uzhe-sokratili-import-elektroenergii-iz-es-pervyy-energeticheskiy-sovet-13351467.html) - Подтверждает проблему негативного влияния низких прайс-кепов на импорт из ЕС.
- [Прайс-капы ограничивают импорт электроэнергии именно тогда, когда стране больше всего нужен ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/ekonomika-glavnaya/prajs-kapyi-ogranichivayut-import-elektroenergii-imenno-togda-kogda-strane-bolshe-vsego-nuzhen-svet-omelchenko.htm) - Экспертное подтверждение тезиса о нехватке света и барьерах импорта.
- [Искусственные ценовые ограничения не дают на полную использовать потенциал импорта ...](https://www.unian.net/economics/energetics/iskusstvennye-cenovye-ogranicheniya-ne-dayut-na-polnuyu-ispolzovat-potencial-importa-elektroenergii-centr-razumkova-13432839.html) - Подтверждает проблему негативного влияния низких прайс-кепов на импорт из ЕС.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What are price caps in the electricity market?
**A:** This is a legislatively established maximum price limit above which market participants cannot sell electricity in certain segments.

### Q: Why are existing price caps dangerous in winter?
**A:** If EU prices exceed the Ukrainian limit, imports will be unprofitable, and Ukraine will not be able to buy electricity during deficit hours.

### Q: What price level does ICC Ukraine propose?
**A:** ICC Ukraine experts propose setting the maximum price cap at 18,000 UAH/MWh.