Due to significant debts of heating and communal energy companies to NJSC “Naftogaz of Ukraine”, court decisions have led to the blocking of accounts of 69 enterprises in various regions of the country. This situation creates serious risks for the preparation for the upcoming heating season and may result in a complete halt of operations for many enterprises.
This is reported by Finway
Mass account blocking and risks for cities
According to the executive director of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, Oleksandr Slobozhan, enterprises from cities such as Zhytomyr, Zviahel, Kropyvnytskyi, Lozova, Staroostantyniv, and many other communities have been affected by the blocking. This not only complicates full preparation for the heating season but may also lead to the bankruptcy of enterprises, loss of specialists, and deterioration of the quality of housing and communal services.
“We are already recording blocked accounts in 69 heating and communal energy enterprises. This includes Zhytomyr, Zviahel, Kropyvnytskyi, Lozova, Staroostantyniv… A large number of communities can be listed. This means a complete blocking of the enterprise’s operations.”
Financial imbalances and search for solutions
According to Slobozhan, the main reason for the account blocking is the debts of heating and communal energy companies to Naftogaz. However, these debts, as emphasized by the Association of Cities, are smaller than the state’s debt to heating supply enterprises for compensation of tariff differences. For example, Zhytomyr’s heating and communal energy company has a debt of 400 million UAH to Naftogaz, while the state owes this enterprise 900 million UAH in compensations.
The executive secretary of the Association of Critical Infrastructure Operators, Ruslan Holub, emphasized that the arrests of heating and communal energy accounts create additional difficulties for attracting and utilizing donor assistance, as well as for implementing any infrastructure projects before winter.
The industry is looking forward to a dialogue among key stakeholders, including the ministries of energy, finance, economy, community and territory development, as well as Naftogaz, to find ways to resolve the financial crisis and ensure the stable operation of heating and communal energy companies ahead of the new heating season.