Russia and Ukraine plan to unite their power systems

On eve of a visit to Moscow for meeting his Russian analogue Mikhail Kasyanov, Ukrainian Prime Minister Victor Yushchenko said that much attention will be given to problems of their countries' power systems. It is intended to make the Ukrainian and Russian electricity grids work in a parallel mode: in Eastern Ukraine a so-called "power island" will be created, which will connect the power systems of the Kharkov, Sumy, Chernigov regions of Ukraine and of Russia. Yushchenko said that Kiev also hopes that Moscow will grant Ukraine a yearly quota for supplying 700,000 tonnes of pipe products to Russian consumers. In the first quarter of this year, Ukraine supplied 250,000 tonnes of pipes to Russia. But, Russia holds a tough position on Ukrainian pipe supplies and demands serious consultations to be held at the head-of-government level, Yushchenko said. At the meeting with his Russian opposite number, the Ukrainian premier will also discuss the issue of settling gas debts and Russian gas transit across the Ukrainian territory.

Visit www.rian.ru for RIA 'Novosti' news.