Firm of corruption suspect wins million-dollar contract for energy supply in Voznesensk

A company whose director is suspected of corruption may receive a million-dollar contract for energy supply in Mykolaiv region.

This was reported by the publication Antikorruptionnyi vymir.

The Voznesensk Water Supply Utility announced a tender for the purchase of electricity with an expected cost of UAH 18.1 million. Two companies applied for participation in the open tender with special conditions, but the offer of one of the participants was rejected due to non-compliance with the conditions. Thus, the potential winner and supplier of electricity may be Mykolaiv Electricity Supply Company LLC, whose director is suspected of facilitating the bribe transfer.

The company's price offer amounted to UAH 16.899 million, which is equal to the competitor's offer. Under the terms of the contract, electricity should be supplied until the end of December 2025.

The director of Mykolaiv Electricity Supply Company LLC is Yevhen Lut, who is suspected of facilitating a bribe to the Deputy Minister of Energy. In November 2024, he was released from jail on bail of UAH 7 million.

The case concerns former Deputy Minister of Energy Oleksandr Hale, who was detained for taking a bribe of half a million dollars. According to the investigation, the money was promised in exchange for permission to export mining equipment from the frontline area. According to the Anti-Corruption Action Center, Yevhen Lut was an intermediary during the transfer of the second tranche of the bribe, as the previous intermediary was outside Kyiv at the time.

The official, together with his partners, including the head of an energy company from Mykolaiv region and the head of a state-owned coal company in Donetsk region, entered into an agreement with the director of a coal company from western Ukraine to obtain an illegal benefit worth USD 500,000.

Mykolaiv Electricity Supply Company LLC specializes in electricity trading. In 2023, the company became one of the ten most profitable enterprises in Mykolaiv region with an annual revenue of UAH 8 billion 274 million.

In late December, Mykolaiv signed a contract for the supply of electricity for outdoor lighting. The service is intended for the city's districts, except for the Korabelny district, Varvarivka, V. Korenykha, and M. Korenykha village. Only Mykolaiv Electric Supply Company LLC submitted its proposal and was awarded the contract for UAH 10.6 million.

Mykolaiv also chose a contractor to repair a shelter for students of the Polytechnic Vocational College without holding an auction. A contract worth almost UAH 23 million was awarded to a company that had earned more than a billion in public procurement and was involved in a case of misappropriation of budget funds.

In addition, Mykolaiv signed an agreement to develop design and estimate documentation for the construction of a shelter at the regional oncology center. The contract was awarded to a newly created company that earned several million in public tenders in 2024.

Анна Бальчінос