The expert poll was conducted by the Razumkov Centre Sociological Service on February 26 — March 15, 2023. Experts from think tanks, university professors, energy sector specialists from regional and city administrations, representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine staff and the President of Ukraine Office were polled.

The experts were asked about the passage of the autumn-winter period of 2022–2023, operation of the electricity and natural gas markets, performance of state bodies in the energy sector, as well as future development of the branch.

The experts highly praised the energy companies’ efforts at overcoming the challenges caused by the massive Russian missile attacks on the energy infrastructure. All 100% of the respondents confirmed that the Ukrainian energy industry coped with the task of providing electricity to the country during the autumn-winter period in extremely difficult conditions.

Most of the polled experts do not approve administrative regulation of prices in the electricity market (56%) for households and businesses, as it will not help attract the necessary investments to ensure the reliability and development of Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Do you think that the existing system of administrative regulation of electricity prices for households and businesses encourages investment in the reliability and development of Ukraine's energy infrastructure?

Assessing the work of the current NEURC, 60% of respondents believes that the Commission is independent and self-reliant, while only a bit more than half (52%) called it impartial and unbiased in its decisions.

To what extent does the work of the current NEURC (Regulator) correspond to each of the following basic principles of Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine "On the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission"?

Less than half of those polled believe in the ability of JSC "Ukrgazvydobuvannya" to increase natural gas production to 20 billion cubic meters by 2030. Noteworthy, according to the Concept of the Gas Production Industry Development (approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 1079 of December 28, 2016), this target was to be reached as early as 2020.

Respondents gave Naftogaz of Ukraine a fairly low rating for promoting the development of a transparent and competitive gas market, meeting the EU standards. Only 32% of respondents believes that the existing model of Naftogaz of Ukraine operation is good in the mentioned context, while 52% considers it necessary to restructure the Company. 

It should be noted that the Razumkov Centre poll revealed a negative expert assessment of the situation with corruption in central authorities and state-owned companies — 84% of respondents confirmed that such a problem really exists, while 40% believes that corruption is quite widespread or pervasive.

How can you assess the level of corruption in central state authorities and state-owned energy companies?

Importantly, the poll confirmed that Ukrainian experts understand the current European trends in the energy sector evolution towards decarbonization and transition to a carbon-free economy, as 88% of respondents believes in strong or moderate development of the RES sector in Ukraine by 2035. Instead, only 48% of respondents believes that the current system of state regulation of the electricity market encourages it.

How do you think the importance of different types of electricity generation will change in course of the Ukrainian energy system restructuring through 2035?

https://razumkov.org.ua/statti/analiz-ekspertnogo-opytuvannia-tsentra-razumkova-problemy-energetychnoi-sfery-ta-shliakhy-ikh-vyrishennia-v-umovakh-viiny