More than 99% of the shares of six Ukrainian thermal power plants will be transferred to NJSC Naftogaz due to accumulated debts.
The corresponding decision was made by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at a plenary meeting, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Thus, this list includes Krivoy Rog, Dnieper, Nikolaev, Odessa, Kherson, and Severodonetsk heating plants. Last year, these enterprises owed Naftogaz more than 5,7 billion hryvnia. However, a significant part of this amount - 1,3 billion - are fines and penalties imposed on debtors by Naftogaz. That is, partly NAC itself drove the thermal workers into debt.
The transfer of thermal power plants under the control of Naftogaz is planned to take place before the end of August. After that, thermal enterprises want to “strengthen payment discipline” - take inventory of the subscriber base, intensify efforts to collect debts, “optimize” tariffs, etc.
The government explained this decision by the approaching heating season. They say that the uninterrupted operation of thermal power plants is the main issue in preparation for winter.
A number of Ukrainian publications believe that in this way Naftogaz seeks to monopolize the market.
“Experts’ forecasts that Naftogaz will gradually crush the market and actually enter a new circle of monopolization - now not only in gas supplies, but in customer service - are beginning to come true,” commented the Strana news agency.