DTEK’s Komsomolets mine damaged by shots

Обзоры по компаниям и отраслям 18.08.2014 The Komsomolets Donbasa Mine (SHKD UK) was shot up with heavy weapon fire on Aug. 17, the press service of parent energy holding DTEK reported on the same day. As a result of the shooting, the mine's onground premises caught fire and seven underground workers, who were responsible for the mine’s ventilation and water control, were evacuated. The mine, located near the town of Kirovske in the current hottest spot of the Donbas region, has not been working since Aug. 1. DTEK’s press service reported that the risk of an underground explosion has been escalated as the mine’s ventilation has stopped. Alexander Paraschiy: The risk of explosion at the mine due to methane concentration is below Ukraine’s average, but the core risk from the mine’s idling is the possible flooding of its production sites. Komsomolets is one of the most cost-efficient mines of DTEK, which produced 4.03 mmt of coal in 2013, 10% of DTEK’s total mining and 20% of its mining of anthracitic/lean coal. The core problem for DTEK, as well as for the whole Ukrainian power sector, is that a lot of the mines are located to the east of Donetsk city (including Komsomolets, Sverdlovantratsyt, Rovenkiantratsyt) are not working now, which leaves four thermal power plants outside Donbas without lean and anthracitic coal. At the moment, there is a high risk that two out of three power plants at Centenergo (CEEN UK) and DTEK-Dniproenergo may stop by mid-September due to a deficit of coal. These four power plants produced 12% of Ukraine’s total electricity in 2013.