Kiev, Dec 21, 2006 -- Belapan news agency, BBC Monitoring

A Belarusian delegation signed a contract on next year's electricity imports from Ukraine in Kiev on 21 December.

Mykhaylo Hryshchenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian [Fuel and] Energy Ministry told Belapan that the contract was inked by Mykola Pashkevych, president of Ukraine's Ukrinterenerho electric power export company. He did not say who represented Belarus at the ceremony. Under the contract, Ukraine is to supply Belarus with 1.5bn kWh of electricity in the first six months at an average price of 0.026 dollars for one kilowatt-hour.

Electric power will be imported by Belarus at 0.043 dollars for one kWh in January and February. The mean yearly price of Ukrainian electricity for Belarus is expected to be between 0.024 dollars and 0.025 dollars for one kWh, which is only a slight increase on this year's price of 0.021 dollars. Belarus's electricity imports from Ukraine may reach 3.5bn kWh in 2007.

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