KIEV, Jan. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Ukraine's Prime Minister Yury Ekhanurov announced on Monday an energy economy program aimed at guaranteeing continued regular natural gas supplies in Ukraine after Russia's halt of gas deliveries.

    Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Sunday, after Ukraine refused to pay more than quadruple the current price -- 50 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters -- for the gas it buys from Russia in 2006.

    "I want to make clear that the Ukrainian population will not feel the effects of the blockade at all," Ekhanurov said at the opening of a televised meeting.

    "Our priorities are (natural gas for) small users, central heating stations, and state-run institutions such as schools and hospitals," he said.

    The prime minister said metal and chemical manufacturing firms could suffer shortages and should look to energy economy and alternative power sources.

    State-run power producers would also use oil and coal as a substitute, he said.

    Ukraine would pursue a long-term goal of improving energy efficiency -- something most of Ukrainian industry has largely avoided due to decades of cheap Russian fuel supplies, Ekhanurov said. Enditem