Energy Cooperation Ukraine-Poland to Strengthen Energy Security

Abstract

The article analyzes the prospects of cooperation between Poland and Ukraine in the field of electric power transmission. In particular, the characteristics of the «Burshtyn Energy Island» are enlightened, which includes Burshtyn TPP, Kalush CHPP and Tereble-Ritsk HPP that are detached from the power system of Ukraine and operate in parallel with the European system ENTSO-E. This island serves as an importer of Ukrainian electric power to European countries through Hungary and Slovakia, respectively, and is synchronized with the European Network of System Operators for Electricity Transmission (ENTSO-E). The main problem of the international transmission of electric current of Ukraine is determined, which is that the whole energy system of Ukraine works within the international energy union of the CIS and Baltic IPS/UPS. At the same time, the integration of Ukraine into the markets of Western European countries requires the break of established connections under the IPS/UPS system and the parallel increase of communications under the ENTSO-E system through Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary. The prospect for the development of the Energy Bridge project, which provides the supply of electric power from the Khmelnitsk NPP to Poland through the Khmelnitsk NPP-Rzeszow, is described. It is proposed the stages for the further development of energy security in the information direction on the introduction of Smart Grid technologies, in which energy companies will be able to manage the whole network as the only flexible digital system, and end users-to clearly regulate their own electricity costs.