Two-stage tariff increase in 2026: what amounts to expect in payments

The National Regulatory Commission in the field of energy and communal services has preliminarily approved draft resolutions to increase natural gas distribution tariffs for gas distribution network operators, to be implemented starting in 2026. An independent information resource reported this.

After the publication of the documents on the regulator’s website, a discussion period will begin, during which everyone, including citizens and market participants, will be able to express their comments and suggestions. The final decision will be made only after this stage is completed. It is assumed that the new tariffs will be approved by the end of 2025.

Industry representatives emphasized the need for such changes. Serhiy Skyba, Acting Head of Gas Distribution Networks of Ukraine LLC, noted that the planned increase will help partially compensate operators’ losses and stabilize the networks.

Tariffs for the distribution of natural gas will be updated in two stages: from January 1 and from April 1, 2026. Rate increases will occur unevenly, depending on the specific operator:

– The lowest tariff will be maintained at the Kharkiv city branch of the State Municipal Administration of Ukraine – UAH 0.65 per cubic meter without VAT from January 1 and UAH 0.78 from April 1, which in general will be about 80% of the increase.
– The highest tariff is expected at Gadyachgaz PJSC – UAH 3.16 per cubic meter from January 1 and UAH 3.95 from April 1, which will be a 98% increase.
– The Dnipropetrovsk branch of GRMU may face an increase to UAH 3.66 per cubic meter from April 2026, which is almost 2.9 times more than the current tariff.
– The Transcarpathian branch of GRMU has the smallest increase – up to UAH 2.48 per cubic meter from April 1, which marks a 25% increase from the current tariff.

On average, gas distribution tariffs across the country are expected to increase by 76% starting in April 2026.

Despite the changes, residential consumers will not feel the increase, as their tariffs will remain unchanged thanks to a moratorium on price increases during martial law and for six months after it ends.