Scheme at Ukrenergo uncovered for UAH 168 million
The Prosecutor General's Office reported suspicions to three participants in a scheme to illegally seize electricity from PJSC NPC Ukrenergo in the amount of over UAH 168 million.
According to the investigation, as a result of their actions, more than 82 thousand MWh of electricity were unreasonably released, which caused serious consequences and significant financial losses to the enterprise.
The investigation established that officials of the industrial enterprise initiated the conclusion of an electricity supply contract with a controlled supplier, while in fact they had no intention of paying for the consumed volumes. The electricity supplier, in turn, did not purchase energy in the prescribed manner, but received it at the expense of imbalances formed by the transmission system operator, while mandatory payments for imbalances were not made.
As a result, according to the investigation, more than 82 thousand MWh of electricity were released without reason, the total cost of which is over 168 million UAH, which caused material damage to PJSC NPC Ukrenergo and led to serious consequences.
During searches at the suspects' residences, draft notes and documents of evidentiary value were seized.
The director of a commercial enterprise and the former director of Ukrenergo are charged with embezzlement of enterprise funds (Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), and the official of Ukrenergo, who held a managerial position and had the authority to administer settlements on the electricity market, is charged with abuse of office in order to obtain an unlawful benefit for another legal entity (Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The investigation notes that the official intentionally failed to apply the response measures provided for by law.
We also previously reported that on November 10, NABU and SAPO conducted searches at the residence of President Zelensky's former business partner and co-owner of the Kvartal 95 studio, Timur Mindich, as well as at the residence of Justice Minister Herman Galushchenko, who previously headed the Ministry of Energy.
Subsequently, the anti-corruption authorities reported on a large-scale operation in the energy sector. They said that the criminal organization had built a scheme to systematically obtain illegal benefits from counterparties of JSC NNEGC Energoatom in the amount of 10% to 15% of the value of contracts. The scheme involved, in particular, the former deputy head of the State Property Fund, who later became an advisor to the Minister of Energy, as well as a former law enforcement officer.
