KIEV, Aug. 28 - The Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Utilities Economy Ministry expects that heat supply companies will reduce gas consumption by 5% in the 2013/14 heating season, to 8.1 billion cubic meters, Minister Hennadiy Temnyk said at a briefing on Wednesday.

He said that it was planned that the reduction in gas consumption would be achieved thanks to the modernization of energy supplies.

"We have a confirmation from the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry that they have gas in the required volume for the needs of heat supply companies. We expect that thanks to the modernization of energy supplies, 8.1 billion cubic meters will be enough for us," the minister said, adding that Ukraine consumed 8.5 billion cubic meters in the 2012/13 heating season.