Average natural gas price in 2016-2020

Less than six months after the gas market launch for residential consumers, the government again returned to regulating the pricing mechanism. The Cabinet of Ministers motivated such a decision by "an exorbitant increase in gas exchange prices for Ukrainians during the quarantine."

Kosatka.Media remembered what the gas price was, starting in 2016.      

As a reminder, for household consumers, the option to choose a gas supplier has become available since August last year. The state has ceased to “protect” the price.

If we compare the average, it is indeed the highest at the end of 2020. But as of December, suppliers offered gas at different prices – from UAH 6.99 to UAH 10 per cubic meter.

At the same time, there is a lot of news in the media on the topic “how significantly gas prices will rise when the market opens.” In particular, in 2018, Ekonomichna Pravda predicted that “from May 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, the gas price for the population should be approximately UAH 9851.66 per 1,000 cubic meters. And from January 1, 2020, the “market” price for the population will be set at about UAH 12,313.85." But that did not happen.

Fluctuations in the price of gas in the market are possible and ordinary - the price reacts to demand, which depends on many factors, including weather and geopolitical ones. Another question is that this will not make it easier for low-income citizens in the event of a significant jump in gas prices. The state should take care of them through the mechanism of subsidies.