Officials of NEC Ukrenergo, contrary to the law, from March 7, 2022 to March 16, 2022 sold electricity to United Energy LLC, which is associated with oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi, when it had the status of "default". In this way, losses of UAH 1.4 billion were caused to the state.
This is stated in the results of the audit of Ukrenergo by the State Audit Service, writes the Apostrophe publication.
One of the functions of Ukrenergo is the administration of commercial accounting and settlements on the electricity market. However, according to the results of the audit, NEC did not ensure proper control over the timeliness of settlements by market participants, as well as the accrual and collection of debts and corresponding sanctions. As a result - the formation of receivables, unjustified reduction of assets and loss of resources of the state company.
The United Energy company is an energy trader associated with Ihor Kolomoiskyi's Privat group, which supplies electricity to the oligarch's company, including two ferroalloy plants, or resells it at higher prices. The report states that the amount of unaccounted electricity that went to the oligarch's company amounted to 386,217.33 MWh for a total of UAH 1.4 billion. For comparison, one unit of a nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1000 MW produces this much electricity in 16 days of operation.
Representatives of the State Audit Service indicate that Ukrenergo had the opportunity to contact JSC Oschadbank to collect the debt from United Energy's account, but NEC informed the bank twice (March 9, 2022 and March 11, 2022) that there was no overdue debt.
"What made it possible for United Energy LLC to withdraw UAH 479 million from Oschadbank JSC from a current account with a special regime to another current account of United Energy LLC," says the audit report.
According to the materials of the register of court decisions, United Energy LLC transferred part of these funds to the New Energy Ukraine company. In May 2022, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau started criminal proceedings No. 52022000000000091, within the framework of which the High Anti-Corruption Court arrested UAH 657 million, which were in the accounts of New Energy Ukraine. According to the investigation, the representatives of New Energy Ukraine knew that the funds received from United Energy were obtained as a result of the commission of a criminal offense, and that they were transferred to the accounts of New Energy Ukraine for the purpose of legalization. As of the end of March 2023, the management of New Energy Ukraine filed a petition to cancel the arrest of UAH 657 million, but the court refused it. The investigation in this case is ongoing and NEC Ukrenergo has not yet received its funds back.
This is not the only case when Ukrenergo works at a loss, conducting business with United Energy. Thus, in August 2022, the Supreme Court considered a case about a debt of UAH 117.6 million. At that time, the company related to Kolomoiskyi received electricity from Ukrenergo, but then did not pay for it. NEC went to court, got a decision in its favor, but United Energy appealed it. While the courts deal with disputes between the parties, the money that the state-owned company is supposed to receive remains in the accounts of a firm related to Kolomoiskyi. For Ukrenergo this means a loss and loss of working capital, and for United Energy it is effectively an interest-free loan.
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