WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, welcomed the announcement from the Government of Ukraine that Ukrainian state-owned power generation company Centrenergo PJSC will purchase American thermal coal ahead of the upcoming winter season. 

“In today’s turbulent world, geopolitical turmoil can create uncertainty for nations without access to an abundance of their own natural resources,” Perry said. “No one knows this more than Ukraine. In recent years, Kiev and much of Eastern Europe have been reliant on and beholden to Russia to keep the heat on. That changes now. The U.S. can offer Ukraine an alternative, and today we are pleased to announce that we will. U.S. coal will be a secure and reliable energy source for Centrenergo and its electricity customers. This announcement will also boost our own economy by supporting jobs in the coal and transportation industries. This administration looks forward to making available even more of our abundant natural resources to allies and partners like Ukraine in the future to promote their own energy security through diversity of supply and source. Partnerships like this are crucial to the path forward to achieve energy dominance.”

As promised during the campaign, President Trump is unshackling American energy with each day on the job, Ross said.

“This has brought enormous benefit to our nation’s coal communities, and will now also benefit an important international partner,” he continued. “The announcement will allow Ukraine to diversify its energy sources ahead of the coming winter, helping bolster a key strategic partner against regional pressures that seek to undermine U.S. interests. In the past, Russia has tried to choke off opposition to its ambitions by restricting the flow of natural gas to its western neighbors. Under President Trump’s leadership, I look forward to working with Secretary Perry and others in industry and government to further expand American exports in support of our goals of keeping this country safe and promoting robust economic growth."

Publication date: 8/8/2017

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!