Electricity purchased in Odesa for 390 million: who will supply electricity

Electricity worth over UAH 390 million was ordered in Odesa. The tender was awarded without competition to a company that has already been involved in investigations into illegal tariff increases and the use of electricity for cryptocurrency mining.

According to the Center for Public Investigations, the city's Housing and Maintenance Department signed a contract with Poltavaenergozbut LLC for more than UAH 391 million. Monitoring of the company's history revealed several red flags.

According to the YouControl monitoring system, the company was registered in 2018 with a registered capital of 100 thousand hryvnias. Its founders are Dmytro Baklanov and Vitaliy Suhiyko.

SCREENSHOT: Prozorro

The company has been participating in public procurement since 2019 and has received more than UAH 11 billion. In 2025 alone, the firm earned more than UAH 5 billion and has already signed 69 contracts since the beginning of the year.

Litigation and audit claims

In 2023, Misksvitlo, an outdoor lighting company, challenged the actions of Poltavaenergozbut LLC in courts. The company demanded to cancel the conclusion of the State Audit Service auditors, who found that additional agreements with the company led to an illegal increase in the cost of electricity for Poltava's street lighting networks.

SCREENSHOT: YouControl

The auditors found that the tariff had increased without documentary evidence of price fluctuations in the market, which resulted in the utility company overpaying UAH 3.8 million. After the courts of first instance and an appeal, the company's claims were not satisfied, and the auditors' findings were confirmed.

Inspections by the NEURC and the SBU

In 2024, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) and the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) inspected a number of electricity suppliers and distribution network operators, including Poltavaenergozbut LLC, Lvivenergozbut LLC, Cherkasyenergozbut LLC, Zakarpattyaoblenergo PrJSC, and others.

The inspections confirmed systemic violations: the companies supplied electricity to businesses at household tariffs. According to media reports, JSC Poltavaoblenergo and its affiliate Poltavaenergozbut LLC belonged to Ihor Kolomoisky.

Electricity use schemes and mining

Also, according to the latest ruling of the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Poltava, officials of a joint-stock company, in collusion with Poltavaenergozbut LLC, abused tariffs for the population during martial law. The companies connected to the distribution operators' networks under the guise of household subscribers, and the electricity was used for commercial activities, including cryptocurrency mining.

SCREENSHOT: YouControl

Recently, a tender was announced in Odesa for the reconstruction of a critical infrastructure facility in the fuel and energy sector with an expected cost of over UAH 55 million. The contract was awarded to the company of a deputy who has ties to local authorities and is involved in criminal proceedings.

Анна Бальчінос