KIEV, July 8 - Electric power output in Ukraine's unified energy system increased 3.6% (by 3.336 billion kilowatt hours) year-on-year in the first half of 2011, to 96.648 billion kilowatt hours, a source at the country's Energy and Coal Industry Ministry said.

Nuclear power plants generated electrical output 0.8% to 43.956 billion kilowatt hours, the ministry's thermal energy and thermal electric plants 12% to 41.829 billion kilowatt hours, and communal combined heat and power plants and block stations 5.9% to 4.289 billion kilowatt hours. However, hydropower plants saw output contract 21.3% to 6.541 billion kilowatt hours.