KIEV, Sept. 18 – The price of coal imported from South Africa for the needs of state-run power generating company Centrenergo is $91 per ton at the Ukrainian port, while the price of Russian coal is $80 per ton, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan said.

"By the end of this month or early next month a first vessel with coal is to arrive [from South Africa]," he told reporters.

Prodan said that a batch of coal on the first vessel will be some 87,000 tons, and monthly supplies under the contract with South Africa are expected at some 250,000 tons.