Corruption in the energy sector: a scheme to embezzle nearly 170 million hryvnias from the construction of the Tashlyk Pumped Storage Power Plant has been uncovered
2 June 13:46
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme involving the embezzlement of funds from the state-owned enterprise NAEK “Energoatom” during the construction of a critical infrastructure facility in the Mykolaiv region—the Tashlyk Pumped-Storage Power Plant. According to the investigation, the state could have lost nearly 170 million hryvnias as a result of the scheme. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to NABU.
Reportedly, the suspects include the scheme’s organizer, the actual owner of a number of companies, as well as the former head of a department at the “Atomproektinzhining” branch of the state-owned enterprise “NAEK “Energoatom.”
What is the essence of the scheme
According to investigators, work on the completion of the Tashlyk Pumped Storage Power Plant was carried out by one of the companies controlled by the scheme’s organizer.
Despite the company’s failure to meet deadlines and its bankruptcy proceedings, additional contracts continued to be systematically signed with it.
The following were altered in these agreements:
- the scope of work;
- the scope of work;
- the deadlines.
The investigation believes that this was made possible by the influence of the company’s actual owner on officials at “Energoatom.”
How, according to the investigation, the price was inflated
One of the additional agreements concerned the purchase of a set of equipment for the automated control system of the Tashlyk Pumped Storage Power Plant. The total cost of this set exceeded 305 million UAH.
The purchase was made through a controlled foreign company, which, according to NABU and SAPO, allowed the price of the equipment to be artificially inflated by nearly 170 million UAH.
It is this amount that is cited as the potential embezzlement amount.
How many contracts were signed as part of the construction
The report notes that, in total, more than 70 additional contracts were concluded within the framework of this project.
According to the investigation, it was through this mechanism that conditions were created to alter the cost, scope, and deadlines of the work, which could have facilitated the implementation of the corruption scheme.
Who is suspected in the case
Among the suspects in the case are:
- the organizer of the scheme—the actual owner of a number of companies;
- the former head of a department at the “Atomproektinzhiring” branch of the state-owned enterprise “NAEK “Energoatom.”
The organizer of the scheme has already been detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
What is known about the Tashlyk Pumped Storage Power Plant
The Tashlyk Pumped Storage Power Plant is a critical energy facility in the Mykolaiv region that is classified as critical infrastructure.
The construction and completion of such facilities are of strategic importance for Ukraine’s energy system.
The investigation is currently ongoing. The NABU and the SAPO note that they are identifying the full circle of individuals who may be involved in the scheme.
Consequently, the case may continue, and the number of suspects involved may increase.
