“Energy companies and the government are silent about tariffs money spending” – Kucherenko
27 December 2024 12:52
EXCLUSIVE
In the face of constant Russian shelling of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the media are once again actively discussing a possible increase in electricity tariffs. The National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission has already raised the transmission tariff, but there are suspicions that this will not be the end of it. "Komersant Ukrainian" asked Oleksiy Kucherenko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy, whether there are any real grounds for such an increase.
“There will always be those who want to stir up the situation and convince society of the need to raise prices. These are lobbyists of monopoly energy companies, primarily Energoatom, individual MPs, and so-called experts who will tell fables about the need for an increase. I personally do not see any reason for such a step,”
– emphasizes the MP.
After the massive shelling of Ukrainian energy infrastructure by Russians in March 2024, the government raised electricity tariffs for households by 60% on June 1. According to Kucherenko, the first priority now is to conduct a thorough audit of this increase and find out how the additional revenues were used.
“Regarding the use of these funds, I see today a continuous manipulation, starting, unfortunately, with our respected Energoatom company, which is trying to convince that it is not a beneficiary of this increase. This is absolutely not true,”
– emphasizes Kucherenko.
Today, the parliament has even set up a temporary investigative commission to find out where the money from the increased tariffs goes. However, the parliamentarian claims that the work of this commission is difficult, as the government violates the law by not providing full information at the request of the PIC.
“…neither the energy companies, nor the Ministry, nor the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Utilities are hiding, not providing full information, thus blatantly violating the law on the activities of the provisional investigative commission, which I head,”
– emphasizes Kucherenko.
The MP is convinced that a new tariff increase is impossible until the PIC investigates the previous one.
“Until we investigate where the funds from the previous tariff increase were directed, any new increase is out of the question. And I emphasize once again that I see no reason for this at the moment,”
– summarized Oleksiy Kucherenko.
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The situation in the Ukrainian energy sector
on March 22, 2024, Russia resumed its attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector, carrying out one of the most massive shelling operations in the entire period of the full-scale war. In particular, DniproHES and other Ukrainian energy facilities were hit. Since then, Russia has been regularly shelling Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
For example, the Russians destroyed the Trypillia and Zmiiv thermal power plants, causing Centrenergo to lose 100% of its generation. Also, 5 of DTEK’s 6 thermal power plants were severely damaged.
After that, power outages began again in Ukraine, Ukrenergo introduced blackout schedules, and the government raised electricity tariffs by 60% at once.
At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to build two new units at the Khmelnytsky N PP and has already received approval from the relevant parliamentary committee. The Razumkov Center has criticized these plans, but some experts believe that only traitors or scoundrels are against the construction of nuclear power plants today.
Russia launched another massive attack on the Ukrainian energy sector on August 26. This time, they hit distribution and power generation systems, and the Kyiv hydroelectric power plant was also attacked.
Russia carried out the most massive shelling of Ukraine on November 17, 2024, firing 127 cruise, ballistic, and supersonic missiles and 109 attack drones. DTEK reported serious damage to its thermal power plants.
Some experts believe that the blackouts could last until spring. And the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine voiced the worst-case scenario, which envisages blackouts of up to 20 hours a day.
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